Family farmers in the northern plateau of Santa Catarina

socioeconomic characterization, use, management and conservation of traditional varieties of sweet potatoes

Abstract

Sweet potatoes are one of the crops grown by family farmers in farms and garden, but in the last decades they have been suffering from a serious process of genetic erosion. In this context, the present work aimed to analyze the practices of management, use and conservation of sweet potato varieties. For that, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out on the properties of family farmers in the municipalities of Planalto Norte Catarinense. The data obtained from the semi-structured questionnaires during the interviews were analyzed by multivariate techniques. The results evidenced the existence of a certain degree of selection in cultivated varieties, besides a process of loss of important traditional genotypes. As a result, this information may help in decision-making for the adoption of conservation strategies in the species, as well as in the selection of possible partners for the execution of a participatory genetic breeding program.