BIOFERTILIZERS BASED ON ECTOMYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND BENEFICIAL BACTERIA IN THE PRODUCTION OF SPECIES OF FORESTRY IMPORTANCE

Abstract

Worldwide, forest ecosystems have suffered a drastic reduction in surface area and Mexico is not an exception, despite covering a third of the national territory. Problems such as deforestation and land use change have had a negative impact on approximately 50% of the forest species. In addition, the indiscriminate deforestation, the presence of pests and diseases due to the excessive use of chemical fertilizers for plant production and forest fires constitute a threat to the survival and biodiversity of forests. Forest areas are of great ecological and economic importance, since they are involved in the mitigation of climate change, provide ecosystem services such as soil and water retention, and constitute a source of food, medicines and fuel for human society. This is why there is an urgent need to implement pertinent actions that are more environmentally-friendly, which contribute to the maintenance of forest ecosystems, such as soil rehabilitation and reforestation with health-quality plants in nurseries previously inoculated with beneficial microorganisms, which increases the possibility of their survival at the final field transplant site. It is important to highlight that most non-inoculated trees that planted in areas for rehabilitation or reforestation do not survive. In the best scenario, the survival rate reaches only up to 20%.