Traditional knowledge in yacón or aricoma (Smallanthus sonchifolius) in communities of Mocomoco, Coroico and Irupana from La Paz

Hugo Huaycho Callisaya; Rosmery Aruquipa; Ivan Callisaya Estrada; Geovana Mercado Ramos; Rubén Jacobo Trigo Riveros; Hugo Bosque Sánchez; Justina Condori Mamani

Abstract

In Bolivia, yacón cultivation is decreasing due to the loss of consumption habits among the population. The production of this crop remains in remote municipalities and mainly for self-consumption. One of the most diverse areas of cultivation is the zone of the inter-Andean valleys and the Yungas of La Paz, in the municipalities of Mocomoco, Coroico and Irupana. The yacón is part of the peripheral crops that are planted together with maize, racacha, ajipa, achira and walusa. In the communities of the Municipality of Irupana traditional crops like roots and fruit trees are being displaced by plantations of coca leaf. Nevertheless aricoma plants are still cultivated, in small plots conserving thus the genetic diversity of the species that are distributed in this zone. The present study was carried out based on daily interaction with the families of the different communities, with the aim of describing and characterizing the different yacón varieties morphologically. The morphological description was made in three communities of Mocomoco, four communities of Irupana and one of Coroico. The color of root, propagules, leaf and flowers were taken in count. Color tables of the Royal Horticultural Society were used, identifying different varieties of yacón. In the inter-Andean valleys the predominance of yacón is the purple (kulli), the white yacón, and yellow orange yacón varieties.In the Yungas of La Paz, genetic diversity is distributed in:Aricoma Blanco,Aricoma Amarillo, Aricoma Roja, Aricoma Morada and Aricoma Ch´ixi among others. The families of these communities conserve and manage the yacón culture according to the uses and customs, consuming it mainly like fresh fruit.