Potential of southern Latin-American coastal areas for stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) cropping

Abstract

Stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) was introduced to Argentina and Chile approximately a century ago for several uses, mainly for dune stabilization, but not for pine nut production. Many plantations were established along the Mediterranean coastal area of both countries, where some areas have unproductive soils. The comparison of growth and fruit quality on stone pine in exotic and native environments is useful to gain insights on the potential crop areas outside the species native habitat. Accordingly, we provided a comparison of growth performance (diameter at breast height and height) and pine nut chemical composition among stone pine populations cultivated along coastal areas in Argentina and Chile. Results showed similar growth rates between countries, with these values being higher than values reported for coastal areas of Italy and Spain (native habitat), where thermal oscillations are lower and average temperatures are higher. Pine nut composition analyses highlighted an elevated high-quality fat and protein content. We conclude that stone pine could be cultivated in coastal areas of the Southern hemisphere, where the species grows vigorously and its pine nuts maintain the worldwide reported beneficial properties. The study provides information for improving forestry management in the tested areas.