On-farm conservation of cassava in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso state, Brazil: ethnobotanical aspects and genetic diversity

ABSTRACT Family farmers are important in the on-farm conservation of cassava, since they maintain distinct ethnovarieties in their plantations. This research aimed to analyze ethnobotanical aspects and the genetic diversity of cassava ethnovarieties maintained by farmers in the Baixada Cuiabana, Mato Grosso state, Brazil, in the Rio dos Couros community. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied for the ethnobotanical characterization of the cassava ethnovarieties. Subsequently, young leaves of the cassava plants were collected for DNA extraction. The ethnobotanical survey identified 29 cassava ethnovarieties, with the most cultivated ones being Pão, Amarelona and Cacau. The farmers characterize the cassavas with the following characteristics: palatability, pulp color, origin and similarities with animals and vegetables. Genetic relationships were observed among the ethnovarieties and five groups were identified, with formation of subgroups. In these groupings, it is possible to highlight the isolation of the Matrinxã, Paraguainha and Broto Roxo ethnovarieties as the most genetically divergent ones.