POST-HARVEST GROWTH OF LECHUGUILLA (AGAVE LECHEGUILLA TORR., AGAVACEAE) IN NORTHEASTERN MEXICO 1 MARISELA PANDO-MORENO, O. EUFRACIO, E. JURADO, AND E. ESTRADA Pando-Moreno, Marisela, E. Jurado, and E. Estrada (Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Univ- ersidad Aut6noma de Nuevo Ledn, P.O. Box 41, Linares, Nuevo Le6n 67700, Mdxico), and O. Eufracio (SEMARNAT, Matehuala, San Luis Potost, Mdxico, e-mail: mpando55@hotmaiLcom). POST-HARVEST GROWTH OF LECHUGUILLA (AGAVE LECHEGUILLA TORR., AGAVACEAE)IN NORTH- EASTERN MEXICO. Economic Botany 58(1):78-82, 2004. Extraction of lechuguilla fiber (Agave lecheguilla) is often the only source of income for some rural inhabitants in arid zones of Mexico. A model for biomass estimation of lechuguilla by nondestructive techniques was de- veloped and then applied to evaluate whether traditional harvesting had an effect on (1) bio- mass production of the bud (part of the plant traditionally collected to obtain fiber) and (2) plant density. Six months after harvesting, biomass production was higher for buds of harvested plants than for buds of unharvested plants, but there were no differences I year after harvesting. Number of new plants was not affected by harvesting. Hence it appears that at least in the short term the common practice for extracting lechuguilla fiber does not affect population density, but significantly increases growth of central buds. CREC1MIENTO DE LA LECHUGUILLA (AGAVELECHEGUILLA TORR., AGAVACEAE) POSTERIORA LA Co- SECHA ENEL NORESTE DEM~XICO. La extracci6n de la fibra de lechuguilla (Agave lecheguilla) es frecuentemente la dnica fuente de ingresos para algunos campesinos de las zonas dridas de Mdxico. Se desarroll6 un modelo para la estimaci6n de biomasa de lechuguilla por mJtodos no-destructivos. Este fue despuds aplicado para evaluar si la forma tradicional de cosecha tiene un efecto en (1) producci6n de biomasa del cogollo (parte de la planta tradicionalmente cosechado para obtener fibra) y (2) densidad de plantas. Dentro de los primeros 6 meses posteriores a la cosecha la producci6n de biomasa fue mayor para los cogollos de las plantas cosechadas que para aquellos de las plantas control, sin embargo no se encontr6 diferencia un wio posterior a la cosecha. El ndmero de plantas nuevas no se vio afectado con la cosecha. En este estudio mostramos que, si bien la prdctica comfm de extracci6n del cogollo para la obtenci6n de fibra no afect6 la densidad de la poblaci6n de lechuguiUa en el corto plazo, sl increment6 significativamente el crecimiento del cogollo. Key Words: Fiber; sustainable harvest; arid zone plants; biomass estimation. There is a longstanding tradition on the use of uncultivated desert plants by the rural popu- lation in Mexico. One of these plants is lechu- guilla (Agave lecheguilla Torr.), gathered by the campesinos to obtain a hard fiber used in the manufacture of textiles, cords, brushes (Gentry 1982), and construction boards (Belmares, Cas- tillo, and Barrera 1979). Harvesting is done by collecting the central bud (hereafter bud) of the plant, where leaves are tender and fiber extrac- tion is less difficult. Lechuguilla fibers have a relatively low sales price (ca. 1 U.S. dollar per I Received 02 February 2001; accepted 22 May 2002. kilogram); however, it is in many cases the only source of income for thousands of families who inhabit the arid regions of Mexico. According to the government-subsidized or- ganization that was in charge of the commer- cialization of the lechuguilla fiber for many years ("La Forestal"), the number of people who gather lechuguilla fiber varies annually be- tween 400 000 and 650 000. This variation de- pends mainly on whether there is sufficient rain- fall for temporary agriculture, as some inhabi- tants of the arid zones will not extract lechu- guilla fiber in order to attend crops. Lechuguilla is one of the most common plants of the Chihuahuan Desert. Its range extends Economic Botany 58(1) pp. 78-82. 2004 9 2004 by The New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A.