Study of medicinal plants present in the production systems of cocoa and coffee in fourprovinces of the ecuadorian amazon region

Abstract

The medicinal plants have been used by the human being due to their multiple benefits, whether for preventive or curative purposes, contributing to the solution of a considerable number of health problems. The main interest of this research is to revalue the uses and customs and contribute to the conservation and documentation of the medicinal plants present in the cocoa and coffee production systems, as well as to conserve the germplasm collected in the germplasm bank of the INIAP. Surveys were conducted in the provinces of Sucumbíos, Orellana, Napo and Zamora Chinchipe. For the collection of germplasm, the passport data format was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to learn about the uses that producers give to medicinal plants. To generate the results nonparametric statistics and geographic information systems were used. 203 entries of medicinal plants were collected and documented, identifying 44 families and 74 genders, observing that the largest number of entries corresponds to the families: Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, Verbenaceae and Zingiberaceae. The parishes of Lumbaqui and Dorado de Cáscales in the province of Sucumbíos and the parishes of Cotundo and Tena in the province of Napo have the highest species richness (between 19 and 22). Farmers indicated 18 uses of medicinal plants for the treatment of diseases, among which stomach pain and heal wounds stand out. About the richness of uses, six uses were identified in the parish of Limoncocha of the province of Sucumbíos. Finally, the most commonly used species were mint (Mentha sativa), (Ageratum conyzoides), chugri yuyu (Bryophillum pinnatum) and yuyu kiwi (Saccharum officinalis).