Agave tequilana, commonly called blue agave (agave azul) or tequila agave, is an agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco, Mexico, due to its role as the base ingredient of tequila, a popular distilled beverage. The high production of sugars named agavins, mostly fructose, in the core of the plant is the main characteristic that makes it suitable for the preparation of alcoholic beverages.
The tequila agave is native to the states of Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Aguascalientes in Mexico. The plant favors altitudes of more than 1,500 metres (5,000 ft) and grows in rich and sandy soils. Blue agave plants grow into large succulents, with spiky fleshy leaves, that can reach over 2 metres (7 ft) in height. Blue agaves sprout a stalk (quiote) when about five years old that can grow an additional 5 metres (16 ft); they are topped with yellow flowers.[2][3] The stalk is cut off from commercial plants so the plant will put more energy into the heart.[4]
The flowers are pollinated by the greater long-nosed bat (and by insects and hummingbirds) and produce several thousand seeds per plant, many of them sterile. The plant then dies. Cultivated plants are reproduced by planting the previously removed shoots; this has led to a considerable loss of genetic diversity in cultivated blue agave.
It is rarely kept as a houseplant, but a 50-year-old blue agave in Boston grew a 9 m (30 ft) stalk requiring a hole in the greenhouse roof and flowered in the summer of 2006.[5]
Tequila is made only from a specific cultivar of Agave tequilana called 'Weber Azul'. The plant is from the Asparagaceae family. This cultivar is larger and blue-gray in color compared to the smaller and green normal A. tequilana. It is a rapid grower and prolific offsetter in keeping with its agricultural advantages. Tequila is produced by removing the heart (piña) of the plant in its seventh to fourteenth year (depending on growth rate and whims of harvester). Harvested piñas normally weigh 40–90 kg (80–200 lb).[4] This heart is stripped of its leaves and heated to convert the inulin to sugars. Then the roasted core is pressed or crushed to release the sugary clear liquid called aguamiel, which is, in turn, fermented and distilled into alcohol. Tequila is also made with a sugar formulation 51% agave and 49% other sugars. These tequilas are referred to as Mixtos.[6]
Pathogens affecting the plantEdit
As agave production has moved to an industrial scale since the end of the 1980s, diseases and pests, collectively referred to as TMA (tristeza y muerte de agave, "wilting and death of agave"), have hit the crops. Through the 1990s, diseases spread, particularly Fusarium fungi and Erwinia bacteria, exacerbated by the low genetic diversity of the agave plants.[7] Other problems include the agave weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus,[8] and a fungus, Thielaviopsis paradoxa.[9]
^"Agave tequilana F.A.C.Weber – The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org.
^Gentry, Howard Scott. Agaves of Continental North America. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1992.
^Weber, Frederic Albert Constantin. Bulletin du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle 8(3): 220–223, f. 1–2. 1902.
^ abChadwick, Ian (June 27, 2007). "In Search of the Blue Agave: Harvesting Agave for Tequila". Ianchadwick.com. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
^Agave on Beacon Hill, Boston. WLVI-TV (Television news clip). Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via Youtube.
^Chadwick, Ian. "In Search of the Blue Agave: Pure agave and mixto tequilas". Ianchadwick.com.
^Dalton, Rex (December 22, 2005). "Alcohol and science: Saving the agave". Nature. 438 (7071): 1070–1071. Bibcode:2005Natur.438.1070D. doi:10.1038/4381070a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 16371973. S2CID 8758561.
^Altuzar, A.; E. A. Malo; H. Gonzalez-Hernandez; J. C. Rojas (2007). "Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Col., Curculionidae) to Agave tequilana volatiles". Journal of Applied Entomology. 131 (2): 121–127. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0418.2006.01135.x. S2CID 82440717.
^Martinez-Ramirez, J.; P. Posos-Ponce; J. Robles-Gomez; K. Beas-Ruvalcaba; L. Fucikovsky-Zak. "Base leaf spot and a black rot of agave caused by Thielaviopsis paradoxa". Phytopathology. 2006 American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting. Vol. 96. Quebec City, Canada. pp. S74. doi:10.1094/PHYTO.2006.96.6.S1.
^Jimenez-Hidalgo, I.; Virgen, G.; Martinez, D.; Vandemark, G.J.; Alejo, J.; Olalde, V. (March 2004). "Identification and characterization of soft rot bacteria of agave tequilana weber var.azul". European Journal of Plant Pathology. 110: 317–331. doi:10.1023/B:EJPP.0000019791.81935.6d. S2CID 28303844.
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October 17, 2023
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Agave tequilana commonly called blue agave agave azul or tequila agave is an agave plant that is an important economic product of Jalisco Mexico due to its role as the base ingredient of tequila a popular distilled beverage The high production of sugars named agavins mostly fructose in the core of the plant is the main characteristic that makes it suitable for the preparation of alcoholic beverages Blue agaveScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsOrder AsparagalesFamily AsparagaceaeSubfamily AgavoideaeGenus AgaveSpecies A tequilanaBinomial nameAgave tequilanaF A C WeberSynonyms 1 Agave angustifolia subsp tequilana F A C Weber Valenz Zap amp Nabhan Agave palmeris Trel Agave pedrosana Trel Agave pes mulae Trel Agave pseudotequilana Trel Agave subtilis Trel The tequila agave is native to the states of Jalisco Colima Nayarit and Aguascalientes in Mexico The plant favors altitudes of more than 1 500 metres 5 000 ft and grows in rich and sandy soils Blue agave plants grow into large succulents with spiky fleshy leaves that can reach over 2 metres 7 ft in height Blue agaves sprout a stalk quiote when about five years old that can grow an additional 5 metres 16 ft they are topped with yellow flowers 2 3 The stalk is cut off from commercial plants so the plant will put more energy into the heart 4 The flowers are pollinated by the greater long nosed bat and by insects and hummingbirds and produce several thousand seeds per plant many of them sterile The plant then dies Cultivated plants are reproduced by planting the previously removed shoots this has led to a considerable loss of genetic diversity in cultivated blue agave It is rarely kept as a houseplant but a 50 year old blue agave in Boston grew a 9 m 30 ft stalk requiring a hole in the greenhouse roof and flowered in the summer of 2006 5 Contents 1 Tequila production 2 Pathogens affecting the plant 3 See also 4 ReferencesTequila production Edit nbsp Agave azul nbsp Agave tequilana Weber s Azul Tequila is made only from a specific cultivar of Agave tequilana called Weber Azul The plant is from the Asparagaceae family This cultivar is larger and blue gray in color compared to the smaller and green normal A tequilana It is a rapid grower and prolific offsetter in keeping with its agricultural advantages Tequila is produced by removing the heart pina of the plant in its seventh to fourteenth year depending on growth rate and whims of harvester Harvested pinas normally weigh 40 90 kg 80 200 lb 4 This heart is stripped of its leaves and heated to convert the inulin to sugars Then the roasted core is pressed or crushed to release the sugary clear liquid called aguamiel which is in turn fermented and distilled into alcohol Tequila is also made with a sugar formulation 51 agave and 49 other sugars These tequilas are referred to as Mixtos 6 Pathogens affecting the plant EditAs agave production has moved to an industrial scale since the end of the 1980s diseases and pests collectively referred to as TMA tristeza y muerte de agave wilting and death of agave have hit the crops Through the 1990s diseases spread particularly Fusarium fungi and Erwinia bacteria exacerbated by the low genetic diversity of the agave plants 7 Other problems include the agave weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus 8 and a fungus Thielaviopsis paradoxa 9 According to a 2004 study additional pathogens Erwinia carotovora Enterobacter agglomerans Pseudomonas mendocina and Serratia spp are responsible for continued rot 10 See also EditAgave nectar Agave wineReferences Edit Agave tequilana F A C Weber The Plant List www theplantlist org Gentry Howard Scott Agaves of Continental North America University of Arizona Press Tucson 1992 Weber Frederic Albert Constantin Bulletin du Museum d Histoire Naturelle 8 3 220 223 f 1 2 1902 a b Chadwick Ian June 27 2007 In Search of the Blue Agave Harvesting Agave for Tequila Ianchadwick com Retrieved 2011 11 06 Agave on Beacon Hill Boston WLVI TV Television news clip Archived from the original on 2021 12 21 via Youtube Chadwick Ian In Search of the Blue Agave Pure agave and mixto tequilas Ianchadwick com Dalton Rex December 22 2005 Alcohol and science Saving the agave Nature 438 7071 1070 1071 Bibcode 2005Natur 438 1070D doi 10 1038 4381070a ISSN 0028 0836 PMID 16371973 S2CID 8758561 Altuzar A E A Malo H Gonzalez Hernandez J C Rojas 2007 Electrophysiological and behavioural responses of Scyphophorus acupunctatus Col Curculionidae to Agave tequilana volatiles Journal of Applied Entomology 131 2 121 127 doi 10 1111 j 1439 0418 2006 01135 x S2CID 82440717 Martinez Ramirez J P Posos Ponce J Robles Gomez K Beas Ruvalcaba L Fucikovsky Zak Base leaf spot and a black rot of agave caused by Thielaviopsis paradoxa Phytopathology 2006 American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting Vol 96 Quebec City Canada pp S74 doi 10 1094 PHYTO 2006 96 6 S1 Jimenez Hidalgo I Virgen G Martinez D Vandemark G J Alejo J Olalde V March 2004 Identification and characterization of soft rot bacteria of agave tequilana weber var azul European Journal of Plant Pathology 110 317 331 doi 10 1023 B EJPP 0000019791 81935 6d S2CID 28303844 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Agave tequilana Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Blue agave amp oldid 1139501552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
