Physicochemical Differences in the Leaves of the Two Agave salmiana Subspecies Grown in Different Regions

The domestication process of agaves has allowed this plant to adapt to different environmental conditions, which has led to the emergence of subspecies of the same species with altered morphological characteristics. This may lead to differences in their nutritional properties. For this reason, the aim of this study was to determine the differences in the physiochemical properties of two subspecies of Agave salmiana (crassispina and salmiana) grown in regions with different environmental characteristics. Although both regions have clay soils, some differences in cation exchange capacity (CEC) and nutrient concentration were found, which may have induced changes in leaf size in Agave during the adaptation process. Slight differences were observed in the thickness of the cuticle membrane in both agaves, but significant differences were found between the adaxial and abaxial sides. Moreover, only some macronutrients were significantly different in both agaves, so the subspecies and the development zone apparently have no influence on their composition. No significant differences were found in the color of the leaves based on the growing region of the agaves. However, the removal of the cuticle affects color perception, with significant differences observed between leaves with and without cuticles. According to the results obtained, the growing region of the Agave subspecies has a drastic effect on plant size and some nutritional traits and pigments but a lesser effect on overall coloration. The two subspecies of Agave salmiana, crassispina and salmiana, have different characteristics that enable them to adapt efficiently.