| Abstract Detail
Monday Morning Plenary Session Genomics meets Biodiversity De Haan, Stef [1], Bonierbale, Merideth [1], Ghislain, Marc [1], Jorge, Nuñez [1], Guillermo, Trujillo [1]. Indigenous Biosystematics of Andean Potatoes: folk taxonomy, landrace nomenclature and ethnolinguistics. WHILE formal biosystematics of cultivated potatoes is still disputed, Quechua farmers in the Peruvian Andes employ an indigenous classification system that is based on hundreds of years of intense in-situ management of potato genetic resources. Three years of multi-faceted research with farmers in eight Andean communities of the Huancavelica department (Peru) unraveled multiple dimensions of folk taxonomy and ethnolinguistics, and their relation with formal biosystematics and earlier studies of Andean potato folk taxonomy. A range of ethnobotanical and comparative methods were used, including participatory grouping exercises with samples of cultivated and wild potato species, free and indicated listings in farmers' field, structured surveys with fixed landrace samples, participant observation, use system surveys, ethnolinguistic analysis of landrace and cultivar group nomenclature, and comparison of indigenous cultivar groupings based on indigenous nomenclature, formal morphological descriptors, molecular marker data and species concepts. The data shows that folk taxonomy recognizes at least 5 ranks and multiple taxa of Andean potatoes. At the folk species level, farmers recognize 3 taxa: papa tarpuy (cultivated and consumed), atoq papa (wild and not consumed) and araq papa (wild and consumed). The number of taxa increases as ranks get more specific, notably at the cultivar group and variety level. Folk cultivar groups are mostly defined according to tuber morphology. Farmers are consistently able to recognize specific varieties or landraces by plant characteristics. Farmers apply a total of 22 folk descriptors for aboveground plant parts and 5 for tubers. The Quechua system of nomenclature for cultivar groups and varieties is particularly rich. Folk nomenclature may make direct reference to tuber morphology, but indirect or metaphorical naming is particularly common. Variety nomenclature is consistent for common landraces, but less so for scarce landraces. Folk cultivar groups cluster relatively well when formal tuber descriptors and molecular markers are applied.
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1 - International Potato Center (CIP), Crop Improvement and Germplasm Enhancement, Av. La Molina 1895, Lima 12, Apartado 1558, Peru
Keywords:
Indigenous biosystematics
Andean potato folk taxonomy
Andean potatoes
Andean potato landraces
Quechua nomenclature
Ethnolinguistics
Morphological descriptors
Molecular markers.
Session: SOL02-5
Location: Ballroom ABCD/Monona Terrace
Date: Monday, July 24th, 2006
Time: 10:30 AM
Abstract ID:278 |
