Ethnobotany and on farm conservation of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in small scale agriculture in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract: The present study investigates the role of traditional community Luzia (CL) and the rural settlement "Banco da Terra" (BT) (Mato Grosso State, Brazil) in on farm conservation of cassava, through socioeconomic census, ethnobotanical survey, identification of local varieties and participant observation. In CL was found higher ethnobotanical knowledge, although BT has presented a higher income (39 BT and 30 CL) and diversity (H' = 3.24 BT and 3.01 CL). The low similarity between collections reveal the complementarity of areas in the on farm maintenance of the agrobiodiversity.