:: Fincas de Ambato :: Polinización de la Jojoba en Catamarca / Concluciones y Recomendaciones

The available information has shown the adverse effects of extreme climatological conditions such as strong winds and high temperatures on reproduction processes for a large number of species, including jojoba. Furthermore, the presence of such factors and their effects has been reported for the very ecosystem where the plantation under analysis was located.

Starting irrigation in early August will allow a reduction in the daily flower opening rate by creating a longer flowering period. However, implementation of this practice on a regular basis would cause the plantation to consist of clones featuring low vernalization requirements, defenseless in the face of late frost episodes. In addition to losing the entire year’s harvest due to the destruction of open or recently pollinated flowers, late frosts might affect the following year’s crop by killing new tissue.

Use of an artificially supplemented pollen technique has proved to be an effective tool for mitigating the impact of pollination-adverse weather conditions (rainfall, high temperatures and/or strong winds) and increasing the yield rate. Tests were satisfactorily performed on several species (including jojoba) and arid, hot ecosystems such as the Arid Chaco area in Argentina and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, U.S.A. (Ayerza and Coates, 2004; Coates et al., 2003).

By choosing the right time for applying pollen it is possible to avoid the warmer and/or windier periods of the day, as well as rainy days. Therefore, both pollen and female flowers will be available at times when the weather and physiological conditions are more suitable for the reproduction process.

Anticipating potential situations such as those described above, through its joint efforts with the University of Arizona, Fincas de Ambato has developed the machinery required for pollen collection and application, and trained staff as required for carrying out these procedures.

However, there is a restriction for implementing this practice, as sufficient pollen for use at the commercial level is unavailable. Given that male and female flowers open at the same time, sufficient pollen needs to be collected and stored in advance. Two alternatives are available in this regard: (a) collecting pollen in other regions where flowering takes place at a different time of the year (such as Arizona), and (b) starting supplementary pollination one year after starting pollen collection at the same plantation.

The second alternative is not the best one for the early years though, as the plantation features a very low percentage of pollen-producing male plants; however, it is a valid choice for continuing the collection process in progress via alternative (b).

The extremely low percentage of adult male plants currently existing at the entire plantation becomes even greater in the presence of adverse weather conditions such as those found in 2003. The situation will undoubtedly improve once the seed-originated plants become sexually ripe and those growing from cuttings reach the adequate size.

Nevertheless, based on the available climatological data, we can anticipate years with climatological conditions as negative as those in 2003, or even worse. Accordingly, through the application of supplementary pollen at hours of no high temperatures or strong winds, it will be possible to guarantee that sufficient pollen (as to quality as well as quantity) is available to maintain an efficient pollination process allowing commercial jojoba crops on a regular basis.