ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In some regions of Mexico, edible wild plants have been displaced or eliminated from the traditional food systems, mainly by changes in land use, booming monoculture, herbicide use, and by changes among the new generations in the traditional foods and diets of indigenous populations. In the Totonacapan region of Puebla, the gradual change from the traditional acahual plantation to coffee-type agroecosystems has provoked the displacement of old-growth forests and the eradication of wild plants since 1970. One of the wild species which has been used in traditional medicine and food recipes by the Totonac culture is Smilax aristolochiifolia (SMILACACEAE), known as "kgentsililh". This species forms part of traditional Totonac recipes, in which the tender stems are still used in local medicine to treat menstrual pain, deal with dysentery, and prevent hair loss. According to the Maxent® Program, there are still potential areas with habitats suitable to promote its conservation in the Poblano Totonacapan. METHODS: We conducted 260 interviews with people in 13 locations in the northern Sierra of the State of Puebla. Variables taken into account in the interview related to the consumption frequency of the species, its abundance and distribution perception, reasons or arguments given by the Totonac indigenous population about the decreased presence of specimens of S. aristolochiifolia, its dates of collection, and the cutting prices of kgentsililh at the community level and in local markets. The relative abundance of S. aristolochiifolia was determined through 22 samples in 2ts of 600 m2. Later, its potential distribution in the state of Puebla was estimated using the Maxent® Program Ver. 3.3.3. RESULTS: Of the 260 Totonac families interviewed, 31% had stopped consuming kgentsililh. The residents reported that in the last 50 years the populations of this plant had diminished in the northern Sierra of the State of Puebla, mainly due to changes in land use, herbicide application, over-collection, and urban growth. In traditional medicine, the stem sap of S. aristolochiifolia is currently employed to help treat baldness, and the "tuberous root" or plant rhizome is used to prepare a tea infusion to treat dysentery. The cost of plant guides varies from 10.00 to 40.00 Mexican pesos for one bunch (around 0.5 to 2.00 US dollars), and every bundle consists of between 7 to 10 cuttings from 0.4 to 0.5 m long. From our 22 quadrats of sampling and collection of S. aristolochiifolia, we were able to recognize a total of 32 specimens. There is a considerable abundance of kgentsililh in acahual plantations and old-growth forests (evergreen lowland and mid-elevation perennial forest) concerning the coffee-type plantations and milpas. According to our analysis using the Maxent Program®, eight physical and climatic variables have a direct relationship to the potential distribution of the species. CONCLUSIONS: Smilax aristolochiifolia is still a plant of socioeconomic importance, mainly because of its food value and its use in traditional medicine by indigenous families in Poblano Totonacapan. It is evident that the villagers perceive that in the last 50 years the species has decreased its population mainly due to land-use change, the application of herbicides to the different family production units, and climate change. At the moment, there is no knowledge about the methods of propagation of the species, and therefore there is no intention on the part of the population to conserve the species. However, it would be of great importance to generate a biocultural conservation strategy and take advantage of the results obtained from the potential geographic distribution area, since according to the Maxent® Program, there are still potential areas with habitat suitable to promote conservation in Poblano Totonacapan.
Subject(s)
Smilax , Ecosystem , Humans , Mexico , Plant Dispersal , Plants, Edible , Plants, MedicinalABSTRACT
This systematic determination of morphological and phytochemical data was conducted with the purpose of conserving and identifying the phylogenetic relationship among the Vanilla species of the Totonacapan region in Mexico to increase awareness of the genetic biodiversity. Samples of Vanilla planifolia, V. planifolia cv. "oreja de burro", V. pompona, V. insignis, and V. inodora, are distributed across 19 municipalities of the State of Veracruz and 19 municipalities of the State of Puebla. Morphological data parameters were determined in situ and included leaf length, leaf width, leaf thickness, stem diameter, stem thickness, node distance, stem texture degree, flower colour intensity, and fruit length. Similarly, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, phenols, flavonoids, and terpenes were determined by specifically phytochemical tests and quantified by thin layer chromatography. Both, morphological and phytochemical data parameters, were successfully used in assembling dendrograms by using the Euclidian distance method and by principal component analysis.
ABSTRACT
Se estudió los caracteres relacionados con el ambiente, la planta y la semilla, que considera el campesino en la selección de variedades de haba (Vicia faba L.) y se analizó el proceso de generación y transmisión del conocimiento campesino, así como su importancia en el uso, manejo y conservación de la semilla. Se usó un enfoque cuantitativo mediante un cuestionario y el método descriptivo de encuesta muestral, y un enfoque cualitativo mediante observación y entrevista directa a 74 campesinos del grupo étnico náhuatl del Municipio de Tlatlauquitepec, Sierra Norte de Puebla, México. El tamaño de muestra se determinó por componente de marco de lista. Los principales caracteres relacionados con el ambiente en el cultivo de haba, considerados por el campesino, son humedad (80%), color (74%) y fertilidad del suelo (62%); en planta, resistencia a heladas (81%), sanidad (76%) y precocidad (55%); y en grano, sanidad (93%), y sanidad y tamaño (55%). Los campesinos que seleccionan cuatro o más caracteres relacionados con ambiente, planta y semilla, son quienes contribuyen al mejoramiento genético de la especie, por integrar una mayor cantidad de conocimientos y ejercer mayor presión selectiva. El conocimiento campesino sobre los caracteres de haba se genera por un proceso complejo de interrelaciones, en que se conjugan saberes sobre su entorno, el comportamiento de la especie en determinada condición y un conocimiento heredado perfeccionado por la experimentación. En este proceso va implícita la conservación de la diversidad de recursos genéticos locales de la especie.
This study is aimed at documenting the characters related with the environment, the plant and the seed that peasants take into account in the selection of local varieties of faba bean (Vicia faba L.). The process of generation, and transmission of rural knowledge and their use importance, handling and seed conservation were analyzed. A quantitative approach was used through a questionnaire and the descriptive method of sampling survey; a qualitative approach was also used, by observation and direct interviews to 74 peasants from the Municipality of Tlatlauquitepec, Sierra Norte de Puebla, Mexico. The main characters related with the environment in the faba bean crop that are considered by the peasant are soil humidity (80%), soil colour (74%) and fertility (62%); in relation to the plant features, cold resistance (81%), plant health (76%), and precocity (55%); and in relation to grain aspect, grain health (93%), and grain health and size (55%). The peasants selecting four or more characters of the beans, in relation to the environment, plant and seed, contributed more to the improvement of the species, as they integrated more knowledge and exerted higher selective pressure. The rural knowledge about the characters in faba bean is created through a complex process of interrelations, where knowledge is conjugated with environment and species behaviour at one particular condition, and an inherited knowledge transmitted by generations that is constantly improved by experimentation. In this process is implicit the conservation of local genetic resources of the species.
Foram estudados os caracteres relacionados com o ambiente, a planta e a semente, considerados pelo camponês na seleção de variedades de fava (Vicia faba L.) e se analisou o processo de geração e transmissão do conhecimento camponês, bem como sua importância no uso, manejo e conservação da semente. Utilizou-se um enfoque quantitativo mediante um questionário e o método descritivo de pesquisa amostral, e um enfoque qualitativo mediante observação e entrevista direta a 74 camponeses do grupo étnico nahuatl do Município de Tlatlauquitepec, Serra Norte de Puebla, México. O tamanho da amostra foi determinado por componente de marco de lista. Os principais caracteres relacionados com o ambiente no cultivo de fava, considerados pelo camponês, são umidade (80%), cor (74%) e fertilidade do solo (62%); em planta, resistência a geadas (81%), sanidade (76%) e precocidade (55%); e em grão, sanidade (93%), e sanidade e tamanho (55%). Os camponeses que selecionam quatro ou mais caracteres relacionados com ambiente, planta e semente, são aqueles que contribuem ao melhoramento genético da espécie, por integrar una maior quantidade de conhecimentos e por exercer maior pressão seletiva. O conhecimento camponês sobre os caracteres da fava é gerado por um processo complexo de inter-relações, nas que se conjugam saberes sobre seu entorno, o comportamento da espécie em determinada condição e um conhecimento herdado aperfeiçoado pela experimentação. Neste processo vá implícita a conservação da diversidade de recursos genéticos locais da espécie.
