Environmental, economic, and social of <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em> in the cultivation of the Creole yam.

Abstract

Maintaining some productivity of the Creole yam (Dioscorea alata L.), affected by anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), from agrochemicals, generates changes in soil fertility, water quality and in the agricultural ecosystem of peasant agri-food production, but the proportion in which the management of an endemic fungus impacts and therefore persistent over time is unknown. This situation leads to investigate the environmental, economic, and social impact caused by the management of anthracnose in the cultivation of yam in the municipality of Colosó, department of Sucre, Colombia. A descriptive quantitative methodology was followed; A sample of 135 producers participated from techniques such as direct observation, interviews, surveys, focus groups and for the trade-off analysis of environmental, economic and social impacts the Leopold matrix. The results show a peasant production composed mainly of men (96%), of mestizo origin (91.6%), aged 41 to 60 years (55%); level of education in primary (56.5%) and baccalaureate (20.6%); They plant areas of 1.0 to 1.75 hectares (60.1%) and little technical assistance. Soil (47.3%) was impacted by accumulation of agrochemicals and water when contaminated (71.7%). Leopold's matrix considered the transformation of the territory around tutoring, soil loss, contamination of water bodies and burning of crop residues. In conclusion, maintaining the productivity of the Creole yam cultivar involves establishing the trade-off of the relationship between the planned solutions and the impacts on ecosystems in terms of environmental costs.