EFECTO DE 6-BENCILAMINOPURINA EN DOS ESPECIES DE AGAVE COMO ESTRATEGIA DE PROPAGACIÓN EN UN SISTEMA SEMIHIDROPÓNICO

<p><strong>Background. </strong>Agaves have an important agroindustrial value, however, farmers share limitations such as the long processes required by the plant to reach its reproductive stage, these species are able to propagate asexually through adventitious shoots. There are efficient techniques using synthetic growth regulators to enhance plant metabolism. 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) is an exogenous cytokinin that mainly stimulates the proliferation of shoots and accelerates plant growth. <strong>Objective:</strong> To evaluate the effect on asexual propagation and plant growth of supplying 6-BAP directly to the pseudostem in <em>Agave salmiana</em> and <em>A. angustifolia</em> plants established in a semi-hydroponic system under greenhouse conditions. <strong>Methodology: </strong>In the present work, 6-BAP was supplied directly to the pseudostem of 8-month-old seedlings using the injection method in two agave genotypes established under a semihydroponic system and greenhouse conditions, and its effect on the proliferation of shoots and plant development was evaluated. Different concentrations of 6-BAP were evaluated in a single application and 6 months later the number of shoots per plant, the number of leaves, the length of the longest root, the diameter of the pseudostem, the dry weight and fresh weight of the leaves and roots were recorded. <strong>Results:</strong> The treatments evaluated with 6-BAP produced a greater number of shoots in contrast to the control, in addition, mechanical damage and a decrease in growth and biomass were observed in plants treated with a high concentration of cytokinin. The exogenous cytokinin 6-BAP has the ability to increase shoot production per plant and accelerate propagation processes in agave. <strong>Implications: </strong>This study can enhance sustainable mass propagation processes, enabling faster production of plantlets while minimizing water and space costs. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>The results of this research open the possibilities to use both 6-BAP and the injection technique and make propagation protocols more efficient in agave species. </p>