Ethno-Botany and in-situ conservation of the genetic diversity of arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft), yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolious H.Robinson), and wild relatives

Abstract

The study was conducted in the districts of Huacrachuco and San Pedro de Cholon, province of Marañon and Huanuco region. The aim of the study was to describe the in-situ conservation and ethno-botanical indicators of the phenotypic variability of Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft), Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius H. Robinson) and wild relatives. Work was done in the farmers’ plots where they preserved from one to three morphotypes of A. xanthorrhiza and S. sonchifolius, and farmer communities where preserved wild plant relatives. A total of thirteen farmers from three farmer communities in the Huarachuco district, and nine from two farmer communities in the district of San Pedro de Cholon were selected. Six in-situ conservation and three ethno-botanical indicators were described. By using morphological descriptors 23 samples of grown arracacha and 34 of grown yacon, three samples each of wild arracacha and yacon were characterized. Based on this characterization, results were as follow: three different morphotypes of grown arracacha for 21 descriptors, four different morphotypes of grown yacon for 18 descriptors, two ecotypes of wild arracacha (the low field ecotype located in a range of altitude of 2500 to 2750 meters above sea level and the height field ecotype located above 3530 m.a.s.l.) and two ecotypes of wild yacon (yellow and red ecotypes).

Keywords

• arracacia
• smallanthus
• in situ conservation
• ethno-botanical
• ecotype
• morphotype.