ASPECTOS DA CONSERVAÇÃO E MORFOLOGIA EXTERNA DE ALGODÕES PARA FIAÇÃO MANUAL NO ESTADO DE GOIÁS

Abstract

Gossypium barbadense L. is the species used and found in backyards in all states of Brazil and can be used in spinning, ornamentation and medicine. G. barbadense has two botanical varieties: brasiliense which has the seeds of each fruit store adhered to each other forming a structure similar to a kidney, being called ox kidney; the second, barbadense, has the seeds separated and is known as brittle. The use of informatics tools to obtain data from biological collections has been crucial to quantify the known biodiversity, and thus raise scarce regions of Biodiversity information. This work addresses the importance of the knowledge available in herbarium records for the identification of failures and directions on the need for studies in certain areas. With this as a presupposition, the present work aimed to carry out a survey of records of the species G. barbadense on the online platform SpeciesLink, at a national level and with an emphasis on the state of Goiás. A survey of the records of the species G. barbadense already documented in Brazil was carried out, using the SpeciesLink database platform. Filters for states, collection, date and year of collection were used. Finally, the filter was used only for the state of Goiás and its municipalities with records. Through the survey carried out on the SpeciesLink website, a number of 286 registered exsiccates were obtained with the inclusion of duplicates, from 57 herbaria, using the filter for Brazilian states and later for collection. These totals did not include information from eight records, listed on the website with blank state information. Gaps in studies were observed in some states, as well as in Goiás, a region where the species is important for the economy and culture, only 5 records of the species were obtained from 3 municipalities. Over time, the records increased, however, the scarce information and poor distribution of collections evidence the need for floristic inventories and the computerization of records in herbariums. TRADITIONAL FABRIC AND MEDICINAL USE ARE THE LEADING FACTORS OF IN SITU CONSERVATION OF Gossypium barbadense L. IN CENTRAL BRAZIL

The Sea Island cotton Gossypium barbadense L. has been present in Brazil for at least 750 years. Cultivated worldwide, the fibres present superior quality; therefore, farmers’ seeds are an important genetic resource and in situ maintenance is essential to complement ex situ conservation. To understand how the species has been conserved in situ and investigate the socio-economic aspects which may ensure the continuity of its conservation, we conducted expeditions to three different municipalities situated in Brazilian Cerrado, Goiás state, Brazilone of which is a traditional community, the quilombo Kalunga communityinterviewed plant maintainers and compared our results with data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. There is hand spinning and hand weaving for home uses and commercialization within and outside the traditional community, which contribute to the continuity of the in situ conservation of G. barbadense. Medicinal use is more determinant than hand weaving in deciding to keep plants and seeds. Fabric handicraft is a predominantly female, low income activity. Interviews with cotton hand spinners indicated that in situ maintenance may be favoured by access to weaving looms and improvement in the marketing and sale of their products. Policies valuing handicrafts can ensure the continuity of biodiversity and disseminate and vivify traditions in addition to maintaining an income for the artisans.