Establishment of Cordia dodecandra A.DC. with Bixa orellana L. on Calcareous Soils in Yucatán, Mexico

Due to the predominance of Agave fourcroydes Lem. plantations in northern Yucatan during the last 150 years, the economic importance of trees outside of the traditional homegardens has largely been neglected. Few farmers in northern Yucatan use native trees to supply multiple services and goods such as shade and shelter for animals, food, medicines, and timber for construction and furniture, outside their homegardens. After the abandonment of sisal production in the ‘henequen area’, plantation lands were assigned to the communities (Nickel 1995). The present challenge is to develop agroforestry systems for the recultivation of the plantation areas that improve livelihoods, and that are adapted to the climatic and soil conditions of northern Yucatan. A number of native tree species are promising candidates as tree components for such recultivation schemes. To guarantee survival and growth of seedlings, suitable species have to be adapted to the seasonally hot and dry environmental conditions of the northern peninsula.