Hacia un jardín etnobotánico en Misiones, Argentina

HILGERT, NORMA INÉS; HERNANDEZ-BERMEJO, ESTEBAN; POCHETTINO, MARÍA LELIA; STAMPELLA, PABLO

Cordoba

Simposio; Simposio 13: Herramientas Educativas en Etnobotánica. VI Congreso Internacional de Etnobotánica; 2014

IMGEMA-Real Jardín Botánico de Córdoba, Universidad de Cordoba

towards an ethnobotanical garden in misiones, argentina Norma Hilgert1,2, Esteban Hernández Bermejo3, M. Lelia Pochettino2,4, Pablo Stampella2,4 1 Instituto de Biología Subtropical,  Facultad de Ciencias Forestales., Universidad Nacional de Misiones, Argentina 2 Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Argentina. 3 Departamento de Ciencias y Recursos Agrícolas y Forestales (Universidad de Córdoba, España) y Banco de Germoplasma Vegetal Andaluz (Junta de Andalucía, España) 4Laboratorio de Etnobotánica y Botánica Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, calle 64 nro. 3, 1900 La Plata. Argentina   The order of Jesus promoted between 17th and 18th centuries an agricultural and cultural emporium through the creation of a network of missions in the native Guarani settlements located by the Paraná and Uruguay rivers (territory that today belongs to Brasil, Argentina and Paraguay). The authors pretend to strengthen the interpretation and cultural management of Jesuitic Missions , by means of the establishment of a decentralized Ethnobotanical Garden, with differentiated buildings settled in several Missions. Consequently our aims are:  To contribute to the recovering of one of the most important chapters in the history of plant germplasm transfer and associated knowledge. To ease the transmision of that history to the world, especially to the visitors to the region, and to contribute to the valoration of Guarani culture and its contribution in horticulture, wisdom and use of plants, by the rest of humankind. To collaborate in the economic development of the Province of Misiones, by empowering its offer of cultural and ecological tourism As a previous stage, we are developing a multidisciplinary research program to approach in depth in documentary historic sources and increase the information about: The origin of agricultural knowledge and of the jesuitic gardens design, tracing the possible influences of renaissance and/or andalusíes ones, as well as the relevance of medicinal, spice and psicotropic plants raised in those gardens.  The role of Jesuits in the introduction of Old World species in the New World and their socioeconomic consequences. Also, to establish the geographical origin and ways of transportation of the introduced crops, with some case studies as for instance citric, sugar cane and rice. The role of Jesuits in the incorporation of native species and Guarani horticulture and associated wisdoms in the rest of the world, and their socioeconomic consequences. Their role in domestication of new crops, with some case studies as yerba mate, cotton and peanut.