Conocimiento tradicional sobre plantas en huertas, invernaderos y jardines en dos poblaciones rurales de la estepa patagónica

EYSSSARTIER, CECILIA; LADIO A H; LOZADA, MARIANA

Traditions and transformations in Ethnobotany

CYTED

Lugar: La Plata; Año: 2010; p. 485 - 495

Traditional knowledge of plant species in vegetable-gardens, greenhouses and gardens of two rural communities in the patagonian steppe. In the present study we compared traditional horticultural knowledge related to plant species cultivated in vegetable-gardens, greenhouses and gardens in two rural populations, Pilcaniyeu and Pichi Leufu. Both communities, which are settled in Patagonian steppe (Río Negro, Argentine), present different characteristics in the degree of urbanization and contact with urban centres. By means of semi-structured interviews and field visits to the cultivated areas we analyzed floristic composition and structure of vegetable-gardens, greenhouses and gardens. We interviewed 30 informants in Pilcaniyeu and 17 in Pichi Leufu. Pichi Leufu dwellers cultivate more resources (139 species: 59 in vegetable-gardens, 40 in greenhouses and 86 in gardens), while a total of 124 species were cited in Pilcaniyeu: 75 in vegetable-gardens, 63 in greenhouses and 68 in gardens. In all cultivated areas, most plant species (90%) were exotic. Moreover, 30 botanical families were found in common for both communities, being the most representative Asteraceae. Furthermore, the average vegetable-garden area cultivated per family is greater in Pichi Leufu (969.4 m2) than in Pilcaniyeu (35.5 m2), where greenhouses are used in a greater proportion (66.6%) than in Pichi Leufu (53%). In this latter community, 88.2% informants collect seeds from previous harvests, a tradition which is maintained by only 34% of Pilcaniyeu inhabitants. These results could be related to a greater isolation of Pichi Leufu community, compared to the latter which is closer and receives more influence of urban centres that tend to lead to a decrease in the maintenance of these ancient practices. These three systems (vegetable-gardens, greenhouses and gardens)are scenarios which allow us to observe changes that occur in relation to horticultural practices in a population, thus revealing a complex interaction between people and their ecological, historical and cultural contexts.