Potential zones for the cultivation of Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa in temperate regions of Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: to identify potential zones with soil and climate characteristics in municipalities of the state of Veracruz, Mexico for kiwi cultivation through modeling.Design/Methodology/Approach: with the zoning methodology of soil and climate variables and the Kriging projection algorithm of the ArcMap GIS®, the municipalities of the state of Veracruz with soil and climate potential for the cultivation of kiwi adapted to tropical conditions were determined. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to validate the zoning and determine the similarity of municipalities with soil and climate potential. A cluster analysis was applied to assess the similarity between the variables studied.Results: the municipalities of Hueyapan de Ocampo, Ixhuatlán del Café, Jalacingo, Magdalena, Mariano Escobedo, Tehuipango and Texhuacán present average soil and climate characteristics for the establishment of kiwi cultivation. Chumatlán and Huatusco presented the greatest soil and climate similarity for the cultivation of this fruit shrub.Limitations of the study/Implications: this information contributes to the decision-making to establish kiwi by increasing the knowledge of the species. As, up to date, the almost non-existent information has limited the establishment of kiwi cultivation.Findings/Conclusions: of the total territory of Veracruz 29% shows soil and climate characteristics to introduce kiwi cultivation. Its establishment would represent support for food and socio-economic sovereignty for producers. According to this study, the establishment of kiwi as a crop is viable in various geographical points of Veracruz.