Propagation of espeletiopsis corymbosa, espeletia barclayana, espeletia summapacis, and espeletia killipii in greenhouse conditions

Abstract

Colombia has strategic ecosystems, among them the páramos, which are located above 3,500 m.a.s.l. Due to human activities, these ecosystems are at risk. To contribute to the conservation of frailejones, one of their characteristic plants, I worked on the generation of propagation protocols of Espeletiopsis corymbosa (Guacheneque páramo), Espeletia summapacis and Espeletia killipii (Sumapaz páramo), and Espeletia barclayana (El Tablazo páramo). The morphological description was done in ten seeds, the tetrazolium test in four replicates of 50 seeds with cuts in the seminal cover adding 1% tetrazolium at 40 °C for 24 hours, and the germination test in 30 seeds per replication in greenhouse conditions using four pre-germinative treatments (none, immersion in gibberellins, cold stratification for one month, cold stratification plus gibberellins, and in E. barclayana sowing in a different substrate). The growth and survival were evaluated in 30 seedlings. The species seeds had similar characteristics. Empty seeds were found in 39 to 65% of cases and germination was less than 48%. The viability with tetrazolium was greater than with the germination test in all species, which may indicate physiological dormancy. However, this was not corroborated with the treatments under evaluation. During the four months of evaluation, average species growth was 0.65 cm and survival was over 67%, which favors the propagation in greenhouse conditions.