Characterization of the plant nurseries in Pelileo, Tungurahua, Ecuador

Aixa O. Rivero-Guerra

Abstract

An in situ inventory is made of the native and introduced plant species that are cultivated and marketed in the four Pelileo plant nurseries, and all of their owners are interviewed. The dual hypothesis that the nurseries represent an economic and business option for the integration of women in rural areas and that the use of introduced plant species in the nurseries is superior to that of native species in Pelileo, Tungurahua, Ecuador is validated. The main objective is their characterization. These nurseries are individually organized with less than 20 years since their creation, limited infrastructure, few employees, and low production volume. Half are the entrepreneurship initiatives of middle-aged women and 75 % of their owners do not have professional and technical degrees.  They have cultivated and commercialized 129 species that have not been labeled nor is their origin reflected; they correspond to 50 botanical families, the majority of which belong to Crassulaceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, and Solanaceae. Among the species 84.50 % are introduced from America, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The species are mainly perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees. The nurseries are a type of producer-marketer mix with 70.54% of the species being used for ornamental, food, medicinal and forestry purposes, which are sold cheaply directly to the public.  Half of the nursery workers are completely dedicated to their nurseries. They have diverse training needs and their suppliers are national. These nurseries promote sustainable self-employment and constitute a strategic response to the limitations of a rural environment, especially in regards to the incorporation of women into the sustainability of a paid living.