Adaptability, growth and firewood volume yield of multipurpose tree species in semiarid regions of Northeastern Mexico.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: rahimforo@hotmail.com Tel +5281-81143465 The coast of the Gulf of Mexico is rich in drought-tolerant species potentially useful for reforestation, agroforestry, and production of timber and fuelwood. However, over exploitation has resulted in a gradual degradation of their population. Thus, in order to remedy the disturbed areas, a monoculture research strategy has been undertaken to determine adaptability, establishment and fuelwood production of 12 multipurpose tree species: Acacia berlandieri, A. farnesiana, A. rigidula, A. wrightii, Ebenopsis ebano, Havardia pallens, Helietta parvifolia, Parkinsoni aculeata, Prosopis glandulosa, P. laevigata, Leucaena leucocephala and L. pulverulenta. Seedlings were planted in randomized blocks in deep loamy-clay soil. Growth parameters and volume of trees were evaluated over 20 years. Higher height growth rates (m year-1) were recorded in P. aculeata (0.51), L. leucocephala (0.49) and L. pulverulenta (0.48) compared to (0.21-0.29) in A. rigidula, A. berlandieri and A. wrightii .The mean annual fuelwood volume rate indicates that Leucaena species (1.89-2.01 m3 ha-1), Prosopis species(1.47-1.54 m3 ha-1), E. ebano (1.64 m3ha-1)and Acacia farnesiana (1.5 m3ha-1) showed higher production compared to A. berlandieri, H. pallens and A. rigidula (0.75-0.95 m3ha-1). Most of the species showed good growth in plantation and a high potential for diversified silvicultural management programs in semiarid areas.