Dynamic conservation in place of maize landraces in the village of El Trapiche, Choluteca, Honduras

Abstract

Diversity and conservation of traditional crops have been scarcely studied. The objective of this study is to describe the in situ conservation dynamics of corn crops in a rural village of Honduras, through the analysis of management practices and the morphological characterization of native corn varieties that are being used at this location, which permits the evaluation of key characteristics for its identification.

This work was carried out in four communities in the village of El Trapiche, Choluteca in southern Honduras. Consultations were conducted through a survey of 26 corn growers in the area, about the characteristics that allow them to identify the cultivated varieties of corn, agricultural practices and planting material exchanges. We also carried out a preliminary assessment of the varieties they grow through the measurements in situ of morphological characteristics of the plant and corncob.

The results demonstrate how traditional management creates an overtime dynamic process in situ for grown corn germplasm. Farmers reported seven identified varieties, five native and one foreign, and the commercial variety donated by the Honduran government. The identified varieties were: young corn, yellow, ground, cuarenteño, black and maizón (considered a foreign and improved variety).

Most of the varieties are white grain, which is intended for human consumption, the yellow variety is used mainly for animal feed. The planting strategy reports an absence of animal labor, 50% of respondents report using Gramoxone for land clearing and 38.5 % of respondents indicate the use urea as soil fertilizer. Regarding the exchange of sowing seeds, 53% of respondents report sharing process material through purchase and gifts from family and friends. Clearly the persistence of a traditional corn can be observed in their practices and the use of local seeds that has been adapted to rocky soils which hinders agricultural modernization and the use of improved seeds in the area.

Revista Ciencia y Tecnología No. 17, December 2015 pp.79-93