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Phenotypic changes in plants during domestication may disrupt plant–herbivore interactions. Because wild and cultivated plants have different habitats and some anti-herbivore defences exhibit some plasticity, their defences may be also influenced by the environment. Our goal was to assess the effects of domestication and the environment on herbivory and some anti-herbivore defences in chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) in its centre of domestication. Herbivores, herbivory, and direct and indirect anti-herbivore defences were assessed in wild and cultivated plants. The same variables were measured in the field and in a common garden to assess environmental effects. Our results show that domestication increased herbivory and herbivore abundance, but reduced direct and some indirect defences (ants). The environment also affected the herbivore guild (herbivore abundance and richness) and some direct and indirect defences (trichome number and ants). There was also an interaction effect of domestication and the environment on the number of trichomes. We conclude that domestication and the environment influence herbivory and anti-herbivore defences in an additive and interactive manner in chaya.

Homegardens are complex agroforestry systems with a multilayer vertical structure and a horizontal structure with different uses and management intensities. This environmental heterogeneity allows for the establishment of wild and cultivated plants with contrasting environmental requirements in a predictable spatial pattern. Wild pepper is a plant associated with the shade of fleshy-fruited perennials in natural vegetation in North America. In the Yucatan, wild pepper is known as maax pepper by the Maya and is a volunteer plant that commonly grows in homegardens where it gets little or no management besides fruit harvesting. Here, we assessed whether maax pepper was spatially associated with perennial plants or inanimate objects and whether this association affects plant size, fruit yield or viral diseases. According to the results, maax pepper occurred closer to perennials than expected. Although solar radiation beneath the canopy of these perennials was significantly lower than in open spaces, this association did not favor fruit yield by the peppers. There was a spatial association with inanimate objects (mainly buildings) and peppers were taller and produced more fruits in the proximity of these objects. This association was not mediated by reduced solar radiation. We suggest that the amelioration of other environmental stressor(s) and/or the more intensive management of cultivated plants around buildings may underlie this association. Our results clearly show that both biotic and abiotic elements typically found in homegardens influence the distribution and performance of maax pepper in this traditional agroforestry system.

Background: Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum is the ancestor of most of the economically important chiles in the world. It is widely distributed throughout Mexico, and currently all indigenous groups interact with this plant species. On the Yucatan Peninsula wild chile is known as maax ik by the Maya. Although this area has been recognized as a domestication and diversification center of chile, ethnobotanical research on this species is still limited.      Questions: What ecological knowledge do local people have about maax ik? Where and how is maax ik gathered and managed? What uses does maax ik currently have? Studied species: Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum Study site and dates: San Bernardo, Yucatan. Summer-Autumn 2021. Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews and participatory observation. The management practices were identified, and management intensity was estimated. Results: Informants knew that maax ik reproduces sexually and recognized the role of birds in its seed dispersal. Maax ikwas mainly gathered from homegardens where this species was tolerated and other non-selective incipient management practices such as protection and promotion were also carried out. Fruit was harvested without harming the plant and only a small portion of the available fruit was usually taken. The informants used maax ik essentially as food. The management intensity index was relatively high (5). Conclusions: Maax ik is a sustenance food resource that is sustainably used and non-selectively managed in homegardens by our informants in San Bernardo, Yucatan.