They coordinate work for the conservation of species from the Custard Apple Orchard of the ULS

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A small oasis in the city is the Custard Apple Orchard of the University of La Serena, located on Av. Cisternas; however, as a result of the expansion of the Cisterns Axis, the site will suffer an expropriation that has made it necessary to carry out a project aimed at safeguarding some of the varieties of cherimoyas that the site has. 

The Custard Apple Orchard of the University of La Serena is part of what was the old Botanical Garden of the regional capital. It is believed that the trees in the orchard were established in their current location in the 40s. The University of La Serena took over this Botanical Garden in November 1984. From the outset, priority was given to its conservation, handling and production of fruits, avoiding building in the area, in order to protect it. This enclosure became an important genetic reserve, as well as becoming a green lung for the city.

chirimillos 2The widening project of Av. Cisternas contemplates the expropriation of a strip of approximately 30 meters. corresponding to this Orchard, taken from the current street, putting at risk the genetic patrimony of the only specimens of the Juliana, Colmena and Local Dura varieties. 

In this regard, to take the safeguards that allow the preservation of the genetic heritage of these varieties, the Rector of the University of La Serena promoted a genetic conservation project led by the academic of the Department of Biology, Dr. Cristian Ibáñez, who was entrusted the carrying out of said project and the necessary actions for the propagation of the threatened custard apples. “The Custard Apple Orchard of the ULS has 16 varieties of this species, which constitute a unique genetic patrimony in the country. Among the varieties found, there are eight that are exclusive to it, that is, they are not found in another part of Chile, and perhaps in America and the world”, explained the academic. 

The foregoing is supported by the exhaustive search carried out by the researcher in the databases of the electronic libraries of Chile, in the records of the Catholic University of Valparaíso, the Agricultural Research Institute, the Chilean electronic theses portal, and published manuscripts available on the Internet. . This allows us to confirm the exclusivity of the Verde Oscura, Canario, Amarilla, Danny, Marín, Juliana, Colmena and Local Dura varieties of Anonna Cherimola found in the Orchard, since no study mentions any of these eight varieties. which allows us to conclude that they are exclusive to this enclosure. 

chirimillos 3Four different vegetative propagation methods were used in order to maximize the probability of propagation of the three threatened Custard Apple varieties: Grafting on an adult plant, Grafting on a rootstock, Micropropagation, and In vitro culture. Of all these methods, the method of "grafting on rootstock" was successful, obtaining an average of three new individuals for each variety, which will allow these varieties to continue within the Orchard.

It is important to point out that during 2014 work will continue with the grafted trees, including their location in a definitive place in the Orchard. 

It should be noted that it is also contemplated to transfer the varieties within the same enclosure, with the utmost care, carrying out excavations and delicate transfer maneuvers, in order to improve the survival expectations of the transplanted custard apples.