Articles
ON THE CULTIVATION OF GUAVA IN VENEZUELA
Article number
849_8
Pages
77 – 86
Language
English
Abstract
Both autochthonous and introduced fruit crops exploitation in Venezuela have suffered from a common history of neglect, and few moments of accomplishment.
Although fruit utilization is a customary nutritional habit of Venezuelas inhabitants well before the pre-Columbian times, currently, the per capita consumption of fruits in the country lags slightly below the recommended daily intake.
Most of the efforts put into place regarding fruit culture in Venezuela have been mostly devoted to pathogen analysis and control; biotechnological advances have been almost inexistent, other than the development of in vitro tissue culture protocols, and a very poor analysis of the guava germplasm present in the country.
In this short report data on guava production, varieties, cultural practices, ethno-botanical aspects, as well as main pathogens and pests of the crop, will be presented.
Some efforts, however, look promising since some institutions (remarkably, Universidad de Los Andes, through the GUAVAMAP project, and Universidad del Zulia, with its long tradition in the fields of phytopathology and agronomical sciences) are investing important financial and human resources to catalog the diversity of Venezuelan guavas, and in the molecular and phenotypical characterization of guava landraces all over the country and the remnants of the first introduced varieties commercially exploited in western Venezuela.
Although fruit utilization is a customary nutritional habit of Venezuelas inhabitants well before the pre-Columbian times, currently, the per capita consumption of fruits in the country lags slightly below the recommended daily intake.
Most of the efforts put into place regarding fruit culture in Venezuela have been mostly devoted to pathogen analysis and control; biotechnological advances have been almost inexistent, other than the development of in vitro tissue culture protocols, and a very poor analysis of the guava germplasm present in the country.
In this short report data on guava production, varieties, cultural practices, ethno-botanical aspects, as well as main pathogens and pests of the crop, will be presented.
Some efforts, however, look promising since some institutions (remarkably, Universidad de Los Andes, through the GUAVAMAP project, and Universidad del Zulia, with its long tradition in the fields of phytopathology and agronomical sciences) are investing important financial and human resources to catalog the diversity of Venezuelan guavas, and in the molecular and phenotypical characterization of guava landraces all over the country and the remnants of the first introduced varieties commercially exploited in western Venezuela.
Authors
G. Fermin
Keywords
tropical crops, Psidium guajava, variability, fruits, food security
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