Diversity, Management, and Reproductive Aspects for Pulque Production in Tlaxcala, México
摘要
Agaves or magueys have provided resources and well-being to Mexican peoples since pre-Hispanic times, and management of these plants may be a key strategy to address climate change challenges and improve food security. However, knowledge of various biocultural aspects is lacking, and our chapter looks for contributing to knowing some of them in the state of Tlaxcala. It is the smallest state in Mexico and has very high levels of soil erosion. It is also the second largest producer of the fermented beverage “pulque,” so agaves are very important in this area. This chapter presents and discusses the main results of the interdisciplinary studies of agaves in Tlaxcala carried out over the last 9 years, covering topics ranging from species identification, morphological and genetic diversity, and reproductive capacity of the plants, to seed viability, ethnobotany, and collaboration with producers. However, there is still much to learn, and Tlaxcala stands out as one of the states with the greatest knowledge of agave cultivation. The research conducted in the state of Tlaxcala should be extended to the rest of the “pulque” production area within Mexico, to expand the knowledge of agaves and their ancient uses throughout the Americas.