Abstract
One of the strategies to address climate change is the use of adapted genotypes, such as local fig germplasm, which exhibits morphological and physiological traits that reduce water consumption and enhance adaptation to hot and arid climates, additionally, it possesses nutraceutical properties desirable for the international market. Hence, this study aimed to characterize fig tree collections at the morphological level and assess certain biophysical indicators of their adaptation to the regional climate. In the initial nursery phase, cuttings were collected from fig trees aged 25-40 years in the Lagunera Region. After 90 days in the nursery, foliar characterization was conducted by separating qualitative and quantitative leaf variables, which were analyzed through clustering and ANOVA, respectively. This analysis revealed three distinct groups in both qualitative and quantitative traits, highlighting significant biodiversity in morphological characteristics. Notably, the properties of latex, stomata, and trichomes stood out as key environmental protection mechanisms. Based on this analysis, it was determined that fig trees in the Lagunera Region exhibit biodiversity and long-term adaptation, possessing morphological biological mechanisms that enable them to tolerate the region’s hot and arid climate.
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