Agave studies in Yucatan, Mexico. II. Nutritional value of the inflorescence peduncle and incipient domestication

Abstract

Recent ethnobotanical exploration of henequen (Agave fourcroydes) in the Peninsula of Yucatan, Mexico, finds that inflorescence peduncles are used as emergency food and in the preparation of a fermented drink. Bromatological analysis and determination of total carbohydrates were made for the two length classes (ca. 3.30 m and ca. 0.60 m) which are consumed. The analysis of both the cultivated plant and its putative wild ancestor (Agave angustifolia) suggests that utilization of the inflorescence peduncles as food may have been involved in the initial stages of the history of its evolution under artificial selection, because the wild and the cultivated plants have similar palatability. The subsequent agricultural prevalence of annual crop species in the region was possibly responsible for the abandonment of henequen in the local diet. No significant differences are observed between the bromatological and total carbohydrate values of domesticated and wild plants. The preference for small inflorescence peduncles as a vegetable is a consequence of its significantly minor content of raw fiber and its larger content of total carbohydrates. As a fermented drink, longer peduncles are preferred because they provide more substrate material and because fiber can be eliminated by filtering. This agricultural byproduct, almost totally wasted, has potential value as a source of carbohydrates and raw fiber.

Résumé

La exploracion etnobotanica reciente de henequén (Agave fourcroydes) en Yucatan, Mexico, indico el uso del pedunculo floral como alimento humano de emergencia y para elaborar una bebidafermentada. El analisis bromatologico y de carbohidratos totales en lasdos longitudes quees consumido(alrededorde3.30 my 0.60 m), tantodelcultivado como delpresunto ancestro silvestre (Agave angustifolia), indicaron que su uso alimenticio pudo estar involucrado en lasfases historicas iniciales de su evolution bajo selection artificial, ya que el silvestre presenta caracteristicas agradables al gusto semejantes a las del cultivado. La posterior prevalencia de especies anuales en la agricultura de la region, posiblemente dejo atras la importancia de henequén en la dieta del area, por lo que no se detectan diferencias significativas entre el domesticado y el silvestre en relation a su valor bromatologico y azucares totales. La preferencia atiual del pedunculo pequeno como verdura de debe a su significativo menor contenido de fibra cruda y mayor contenido de carbohidratos totales. Como bebidafermentada, seprefiere la talla grande, pues asi se dispone de mas material y, como es colada, lafibra no se consume. Este esquilmo agricola, casi totalmente desaprovechado, tiene valor potential como fuente de carbohidratos yfibra cruda.