Chemical Quality of Landrace Varieties Cultivated in Traditional Communities in the State of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the chemical composition of landrace seeds of rice, maize and cassava grown in traditional communities in the state of Maranhão. The sample collection was based on the description of the farmers for identification of varieties of plants, based on protein content, lipids, carbohydrates and mineral through Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) methods. Landrace seeds of nine maize cultivars, 13 rice and 40 cassava, with differences in centesimal composition in all varieties were analyzed. For maize landrace seeds the lipid values, carbohydrates and ash are in the average for the species. The protein contents and ash to the surveyed rice varieties were high, while the levels of lipids and carbohydrates are within average in relation to conventional varieties. The results obtained for cassava showed high percentages of protein, with a significant level for the feeding of the people of the community who consume their byproducts. Thus, differences in the chemical composition of the varieties studied showed the interference of genotype, management and environmental factors in their chemical and physiological quality, reinforcing the importance of the study of creole varieties for the development of new germplasm and for the guarantee of food sovereignty of traditional communities.