Diagnosis of landrace Seed Production in the municipalities of Encantado and Doutor Ricardo in Vale do Taquari / RS.

Abstract

In the last decades, there have been significant losses in the diversity and variability of cultivated plants, due to the transformation of agroecosystems into monocultures of varieties with a narrow genetic base. However, there are still properties that maintain cultivated plants that have been improved by farmers, called landraces varieties. The aim of this study was to diagnose the conservation of landraces species in Encantado and Doutor Ricardo. Visits to the properties and interviews were carried out to collect the information. It was observed that there is a great variety of landraces species, involving cultivars of corn, beans, peanuts, rice, fruit and vegetables. Cultivation is carried out on small farms, with an average size of 8.6 hectares, showing the importance of family farming in preserving biodiversity. Family succession and prospects for continued preservation are still one of the main difficulties to be overcome.