CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND GERMINATION OF TOBALA SEEDS (Agave potatorum)

Agave potatorum (tobala) is a wild species that reproduces only by seed. The plant is collected before flowering to produce mescal, which prevents the formation of seeds and reduces the diversity of the species. The objective of the study was to know the partial chemical composition and the germination of tobala agave seeds collected in different years, and to establish the essential elements of this process. Tobala seeds were collected in Oaxaca, Mexico, in 2017 (Collection I), 2018 (Collection II), and 2019 (Collection III). The evaluations were made from August through December 2019. The chemical composition, volume of the seeds (VOL), seedlings formation (PNOR), and the fresh weight of radicle (PFR), plumule (PFP), and total (PFT) were determined. The experimental design was completely random. Data were analyzed with ANDER comparison of means, principal components (AC'P), and regression. On average, the seeds had 38, 22, 16, 15, 5, and 4% of protein, crude fiber, lipids, nitrogen-free extract, moisture, and ash, respectively. Between collections, the seeds were different (P <= 0.05) in lipids, proteins, VOL, PNOR, PFR, PFP, and PFT: Lipids content and germination (PNOR) significantly decreased as collection time increased. ACP and regression showed that PNOR production was essentially lipid dependent. Tobala seeds were oleoproteaginous and recalcitrant.