CARACTERIZACIÓN DE DOS AGROECOSISTEMAS DE MEMBRILLO (Cydonia oblonga MILLER) EN LA REGIÓN MAGDALENA-ÍMURIS, SONORA.

In northwestern Mexico, the agricultural sector is related to a logic of intensive vegetable production aligned with agri-food globalization processes. However, despite the implementation for decades of public policies and private investment aimed at promoting such productive specialization, there are regions such as Magdalena-Imuris, Sonora where fruit trees cultivation for local consumption has been preserved through the transmission of intergenerational know-how. These are a historical process of cultural hybridization, socio-ecological adaptation and adoption of plant species introduced from Europe; they are underexplored as spaces of conservation and resistance and as reservoirs of biodiversity. This study aimed to characterize historically, ethnobotanically and bioculturally the quince agroecosystems in this region. Through a mixed research approach, documentary research and biocultural transects were conducted; the productive spaces were georeferenced and semi-structured interviews were conducted. A total of 95 conservation refuges for quince (Cydonia oblonga Miller) were identified: 12 corresponding to the "commercial orchards" agroecosystem that vary between 100-3,400 quince trees; and 83, to "backyard orchards" agroecosystem with 1-40 quince trees coexisting with another 90 plant species, among which a diversity of fruit trees stands out. These agroecosystems have biological, social, and cultural importance and preserve a three-centennial tradition of fruit production that, processed into artisanal preserves, have allowed the positioning of quince as a regional emblem. The above acknowledges Magdalena-Imuris, Sonora, as in situ conservation refuge, biocultural resistance and a genetic reservoir, which allow the assessment of fruit tree cultivation as a regional biocultural heritage and livelihood for the rural families that have guarded this tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]