Experiencia del cultivo de la palma aceitera (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) en Cuba

The Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a tropical plant, typical of warm climates and the oil extracted from its fruits is the most consumed in the world, as food and in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical products and biofuels industries. The Cuban state delivers no less than 250 g of oil to each consumer in the basic monthly basket, for which it spends amounts of money, so the use of this versatile crop can be key to satisfying said demand. The present research was carried out at the Los Palacios Scientific and Technological Base Unit, belonging to the National Institute of Agricultural Sciences on a Gleysol Nodular Ferruginous Petroferric soil, with the objective of identify a technology for the oil palm seeds germination, establishment of the nursery and prospecting of plants in four provinces of the country. The results of the survey showed the existence of one specimen in the province of Pinar del Río, in the municipality of Los Palacios, 82 in Artemisa, three in Havana, in the National Botanical Garden and 18 in Matanzas in the gardens of the Hotel Gran Memory Resort. With only 15 days of heat it was possible to achieve germination of the seeds and after a nursery process enough plants were achieved to plant three hectares, two of them on farms associated with the Niceto Pérez Credit and Services Cooperative in Los Palacios and the third in Los Palacios Scientific Technological Base Unit of the National Agricultural Sciences Institute.