WILD AND CULTIVATED AGAVES USED IN THE ELABORATION OF MESCAL IN SOLA DE VEGA, OAXACA, MEXICO

Abstract

To determine the species of agaves most used for the elaboration of artisanal mescal, as well as their productive attributes and availability, interviews with producers were conducted and a ranking matrix was obtained. The agaves with greater scores were: “arroqueño” (Agave americana L. var. oaxacensis Gentry); the “espadín” and the “coyote” (A. angustifolia Haw and A. americana L.) all with high yields, demand in the market, rooting among the producers, but scarce in the region. In a second group there was located the maguey “tobalá” (Agave potatorum Zucc) the most emblematic culturally speaking, with high demand in the region, but with a low yield; besides it is only found in the wild, so it is already scarce. In the last block the agaves found: were “mexicano” (Agave aff. rodacantha), “barril” (Agave rhodacantha Trel), “jabalí” and tobasiche (Agave karwinskii Zucc.). The maguey coyote (Agave americana L.) had the highest yield of mescal with 17.78 ml / kg / year, the maguey jabalí (Agave kerchovei Lem) had the lowest yield with 6.16 ml / kg / year, while the espadín (Agave angustifolia Haw) was in an intermediate position. The agaves that had a low yield, small boll size and medium local rooting were generally used by non-certified producers as fillings to complete production lots.