Presentación

Ecological and socio-cultural factors influencing in situ conservation of crop diversity by traditional Andean households in Peru

“…The current Andean traditional agriculture derived from a "classic indigenous agriculture" [ 8 ] practiced in pre-Columbian times, characterized by numerous strategies of risk management [ 8 - 10 ] which can be still observed among indigenous communities across the Peruvian mountains [ 11 ]. The "agriculture of Andean native tubers", as defined by Morlon [ 12 ] is a highly specialized production system developed in valleys and slopes at elevations between 3300 and 4200 m. This system is organized to produce native tubers including seven potato species ( Solanum ajanhuiri, S. chaucha, S. curtilobum , S. juzepzuckii , S. phureja , S. stenotomum , and S. tuberosum [ 13 ]), with about 3000 varieties characterized by botanical descriptors [ 2 ], "oca" ( Oxalis tuberosa ) with at least 50 technically described varieties, "olluco" ( Ullucus tuberosus ) with 50 to 70 clones, and "mashua" ( Tropaeolum tuberosum ) with nearly 100 described varieties [ 14 ]. This agricultural system is carried out in one of the most difficult settings for practicing plant cultivation of the world, given the elevations, frosts, pronounced slopes and soil types characterizing the highland Andean environments [ 12 , 15 ].…”

“…The "agriculture of Andean native tubers", as defined by Morlon [ 12 ] is a highly specialized production system developed in valleys and slopes at elevations between 3300 and 4200 m. This system is organized to produce native tubers including seven potato species ( Solanum ajanhuiri, S. chaucha, S. curtilobum , S. juzepzuckii , S. phureja , S. stenotomum , and S. tuberosum [ 13 ]), with about 3000 varieties characterized by botanical descriptors [ 2 ], "oca" ( Oxalis tuberosa ) with at least 50 technically described varieties, "olluco" ( Ullucus tuberosus ) with 50 to 70 clones, and "mashua" ( Tropaeolum tuberosum ) with nearly 100 described varieties [ 14 ]. This agricultural system is carried out in one of the most difficult settings for practicing plant cultivation of the world, given the elevations, frosts, pronounced slopes and soil types characterizing the highland Andean environments [ 12 , 15 ]. The system involves short cultivation periods alternating with large fallow periods, typically using the tilling tool called chakitaqlla in Quechua (Figure 1 ), which is adapted to manage the particular soil types of the region [ 12 ].…”

“…This agricultural system is carried out in one of the most difficult settings for practicing plant cultivation of the world, given the elevations, frosts, pronounced slopes and soil types characterizing the highland Andean environments [ 12 , 15 ]. The system involves short cultivation periods alternating with large fallow periods, typically using the tilling tool called chakitaqlla in Quechua (Figure 1 ), which is adapted to manage the particular soil types of the region [ 12 ].…”

Importancia de las técnicas agrícolas de las comunidades quechuas para la sostenibilidad ecológica

“…Basta con observar hoy en día la cuchilla de hierro de la chaquitaclla (arado de pie andino), la herramienta representativa por excelencia de esta agricultura 2 . La cuchilla de hierro es un evidente intercambio cultural con más de cinco siglos de antigüedad, aunque aún hoy se puedan ver en los museos alguna chaquitaclla de reciente uso con la cuchilla de piedra o de madera, Morlon et al, (1996) 3 .…”