Micropropagation applied to the improvement of productivity on Mezcal plantations
Scientist at the Yucatan’s Center for Scientific Research (CICY) have developed micropropagation methods and design scaling up processes for several agave species that allow the production of thousands of plants that have been evaluated in demonstration plots. Micropropagated materials presented a normal morphology but faster development than conventional suckers.
Context
Maguey has always been a fundamental element of Mexican culture. Not only do they dot the landscape of each region throughout the country, from the Northern deserts to the Yucatan peninsula, but since pre-Hispanic times they have been used in the making of diverse products, among which stand out today include mezcal, tequila, and pulque.
The maguey genus is very diverse, of the approximately 211 species that exist in the world, 159 are found in Mexico, making up for 75% of the total maguey worldwide, 119 of which are endemic to the country.
In the state of Oaxaca, 37 species and 7 subspecies have been identified which represent 25% of the species in Mexico, almost of all of which are used in mezcal production.
Maguey
- Family: Agavaceae
- 211 species in the world
- 159 species in Mexico
- 119 endemic species in Mexico
- 37 species and 7 subspecies in Oaxaca
- 7 to 25 years for the plant to mature
Necessity
“Without maguey there is no mezcal” is a phrase often heard in Oaxaca in the past couple of years. From 2010 to date, the world of mezcal has radically changed and the consumption of this drink has converted into more than a trend into a tendency by the conscious consumer who appreciates the artisanal, organic, fair trade, by someone that seeks out other products like coffee and beer that come directly from the producer.
Even though mezcal should be a synonym of diversity, more commonly there is a monoculture of maguey Espadín, although more and more the consumer is looking for less common species, like the case of wild maguey such as Tobalá.
Today the amount of mezcal demanded by the market has created a pressure on the production and use of maguey which is causing and impact in its sustainability.
Destilería Los Danzantes Vision
Destilería Los Danzantes has over 20 years of experience and learning in mezcal production. They highlight the work of producers through Alipús Mezcal, putting relevance on the source of the maguey, like valuing wild or semi-cultivated maguey to maintain diversity in mezcal.
In 2012, working with Alipús producers and researchers from Universidad Autónoma Chapingo South Central Campus, they developed seed beds of maguey Tobalá. In this way, they ensure the sustainability of the plant and the capacity to deal with demand in the future. This experience continues to be a success and today the producers continue to plant seed beds of Tobalá among other species and even for other maguey reforestation programs.
Unfortunately, the seed bed experience is not easily applied to all species.
The problem
- Production of mezcal has depended, mainly, on the collection of plants from the wild.
- The collection system is laborious, expensive and inefficient (few individuals have to be transported long distances).
- Traditional methods of cultivation and the pressures generated by the industry have accelerated deforestation, creating a serious problem of shortage of plants for the production of mezcal.
- Due to its long life cycle and inefficient sexual reproduction, the agaves have never been genetically improved.
- Many of the "types" of mezcal agaves are in danger of becoming extinct.
The opportunity
The lack of material and, in particular, of outstanding material, can be corrected through selection and rapid propagation of elite materials by means of micropropagation.
Objetives
- Produce 300,000 plants of various types of mezcal agaves for experimental plantations and reforestation.
- Evaluate and comparing with conventional materials, the performance of clonal plants at different densities and irrigation conditions.
- Issue recommendations for the use of micropropagated materials.
- Evaluate the genetic diversity of the populations and the micropropagated materials.
- Maintain or increase variability.
- Evaluate the phytosanitary status of the populations.
Rescue and Conservation Project
In 2014, Destilería Los Danzantes began a research with Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán (CICY) and again partnered with the Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo (UACH), to identify which types of maguey used in mezcal production had trouble reproducing and are therefore threatened by overexploitation. This project included an analysis to complete and understand the genetic characteristics of these species, for this reason, we collected specimens of different species of maguey from diverse regions in Oaxaca.
They created a germplasm bank and started a program of maguey reproduction through tissues in - vitro, in a laboratory where the plant´s nutrition could be monitored and adjusted, taking advantage of the plant´s natural capacity to generate springs.
Micropropagation of agaves at CICY
Receiving plants from CICY
2. Nursery / Growing and development of the plant
- At the nursery the plants will stay between 12 and 18 months in order to mature and reach the appropriate size for the final field.
- In the nurseries, the plants are maintained with good humidity in the soil and free of other herbs, for their proper development.
- In the greenhouse as well as the maguey planted in the field are recorded to be able to understand their health and adaptation to their environment.
3. Planting / Maguey maturation
- When the plants are transplanted to the field they are almost 2 years old and minimum 30 cm tall (1 feet).
- In Oaxaca, the cultivated maguey are grown in low density (1800 plants per hectare) because milpa is grown in between the rows of maguey during the rainy season.
- In others areas the density can be up to 2500 plants per hectare.
- In their maguey fields they try to avoid monocultures, mixing different rescued species of maguey without losing the plant identity.
- At the end of the project, 10% of the plants will be left unharvested so that they can flower and reproduce by seed, in that way recovering genetic diversity.
Results
- A successful process of micro propagation and adaptation in greenhouse and nursery was established.
- More than 520 000 micropropagated plants have been produced from 20 types of mezcal agaves free of pathogenic organisms.
- 4 types of endangered species were rescued, of which only 1 or 2 individuals were collected.
- 12 nurseries have been established in 6 different locations in the mezcal region of Oaxaca.
- The first 10 hectares were planted, and 100 more will be planted by 2018.
So far 20 different species of maguey have been collected, and practically all of them have been multiplied with this technique, which has made it possible to observe their behavior and development both in the initial adaptation stage in the nursery and in the final plantations.
Today they have 457 000 plants and approximately 180 000 are already growing in the field, in the hands of Oaxacan producers.
Arroqueño – Coyote – Mexicano – Cincoañero – Sierra Negra – Azulín
Maguey de Lumbre – Madrecuishe – Tobasiche – Barril
The Plantations
We are conscious that the world of mezcal can only grow by looking after its origin, the plant, and of course the earth. Humans have evolved thanks to their enormous curiosity and creativity.
We know we have to develop economic models appropriate to this era, where making the most of something is not the same as exploiting it, where each link in the chain should generate value. Collaborative work allows us to develop collective intelligence. It´s a great honor for Los Danzantes to contribute to science, to Mother Earth, and to the communities in which we work, because we know that
Without Maguey, there is no Mezcal.
Impact
On March 20th, 2014, the first agreement was signed with Destilería Los Danzantes, S.A. de C.V., whose main objective was to generate 100 000 plants of various types of mezcal agaves for experimental plantations and reforestation.