Maize crossed from the [[Peru]]vian mountains into Bolivia about 3,000 [[Common Era|BCE]] as a marginal food of the Andean peoples. [[Primitive (phylogenetics)|Primitive]] maize, with small and popping kernels, and flint [[endosperm]] aligned in four distinct rows on the [[Ear (botany)|ear]], later shifted to a decussed eight row alignment. Prior to the [[Inca Empire|Incan rule]] of Bolivia, selection of the mean primitive ears with eight rows diversified and underwent qualitative specialization (kernel composition, consistency, shape and color), followed by the increase in the number of the rows. The key events of this process were;<ref>''El maíz y su mejoramiento genético en Bolivia'', Gonzalo Ávila Lara, p142. ANCB – FSIP. Cochabamba. 2008.</ref>
Maize crossed from the [[Peru]]vian mountains into Bolivia about 3,000 [[Common Era|BCE]] as a marginal food of the Andean peoples. [[Primitive (phylogenetics)|Primitive]] maize, with small and popping kernels, and flint [[endosperm]] aligned in four distinct rows on the [[Ear (botany)|ear]], later shifted to a decussate eight row alignment. Prior to the [[Inca Empire|Incan rule]] of Bolivia, selection of the mean primitive ears with eight rows diversified and underwent qualitative specialization (kernel composition, consistency, shape and color), followed by the increase in the number of the rows. The key events of this process were;<ref>''El maíz y su mejoramiento genético en Bolivia'', Gonzalo Ávila Lara, p142. ANCB – FSIP. Cochabamba. 2008.</ref>
* the increase in the ear size,
* the increase in the ear size,
* the increase in the number of the [[seed|kernels]] per ear,
* the increase in the number of the [[seed|kernels]] per ear,
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** Maíz purito
** Maíz purito
*B. ''Valle alto'' (High valley)
*B. ''Valle alto'' (High valley)
Short and anthocianic plants with very low ear insertion. Grown between 3,000-3,700 masl, in the Lake Titicaca plateau.
Short and anthocyanic plants with very low ear insertion. Grown between 3,000-3,700 masl, in the Lake Titicaca plateau.
Climate and soil diversity is a key feature of the landscape of Bolivia, a country extending between 9° to 22° South and 57° to 69° West. The indigenous cultures that played a key role in the differentiation of the native Bolivian maize races were the Aymara in the north, the Sauces in central Bolivia, and the Yampara in the south. Specifically, the Aymara adapted maize crop growth to the Lake Titicaca plateau, about 3,500-3,800 meters above sea level, a harsh environment, cold, arid, and windy.
Traditionally, maize is cropped in the following regions:
Maize crossed from the Peruvian mountains into Bolivia about 3,000 BCE as a marginal food of the Andean peoples. Primitive maize, with small and popping kernels, and flint endosperm aligned in four distinct rows on the ear, later shifted to a decussate eight row alignment. Prior to the Incan rule of Bolivia, selection of the mean primitive ears with eight rows diversified and underwent qualitative specialization (kernel composition, consistency, shape and color), followed by the increase in the number of the rows. The key events of this process were;[1]
the increase in the ear size,
the increase in the number of the kernels per ear,
the increase in the number of the rows of kernels,
the increase in the kernel size,
the change in the kernel texture.
Later, selection was directed to link molecular markers (pigmentation) to the different kinds of present-day varieties. For instance;
semi-flint kernel varieties are yellow,
floury kernel varieties are white,
soft texture kernel varieties are motley.
Maize from the "Morocho" and "Perla" varieties crossed the Andes mountain ridge and adapted to the lower altitude and different climates of Paraguay, Argentina, and the Brazilian lowlands, before the arrival of the Spaniards in the sixteenth century.
Contemporary classification
Since the mid-1970s, the Centro Fitotécnico y Ecogenético de PairumaniinCochabamba collected and characterized over 1,500 maize samples. These were studied by environment, morphology, and cytological analysis of the chromosomes, resulting in the classification of 7 racial complexes, 45 races and hundreds of agro-ecotypes. These accessions are presently stored at the Pairumani germplasm bank.
On the basis of these and previous studies,[2]Aureliano Brandolini and collaborators identified the following racial complexes and races of native maize;[3][4][5][6]
A. Pisanckalla (Popcorn)
Popcorn kernels very small and hard. Grown everywhere. No change in flowering and ripening cycle when grown in temperate latitudes.
Pasanckalla
Pasanckalla
Pasanckalla puca
Pisankalla del valle
Periquito
Periquito rojo
Pisanckalla
Pura
Pura
Purito
Purito
Maíz purito
B. Valle alto (High valley)
Short and anthocyanic plants with very low ear insertion. Grown between 3,000-3,700 masl, in the Lake Titicaca plateau.
Huaca songo
Huanta songo
Jampe tongo
Jampe tongo
Jampi tongo
Paru
Peru
Pintado aiquileño
Niñala
Pintado
C. Harinoso del valle (Floury from the valley)
Medium to tall plants with usual red stalk. Size, shape (usually large) and color of the kernel greatly variable. Grown in the temperate valleys, 1,500-3,000 masl.
Achuchema
Achuchema
Aisuma
Aisuma
Arrayan
Azulino
Amarillo harinoso de 8 hileras
Amarillo cliceño
Morocho corriente
Ocho rayas
Blanco yungueño
Blanco yungueño
Blanco de tostar
Yunqueño
Checchi o gris de tostar
Gris de tostar
Jancka sara
Jancka sara tuero
Puka checchi
Chuspillo
Chulpi
Chulpi amarillo
Chulpi blanco
Chulpillo
Concebideño
Concebideño
Huillcaparu breve
Morocho Yamparáez
Colorado
Colorado
Culli Entre ríos
Culli Monteagudo
Hualtaco
Blanco aiquileño
Blanco de Monteagudo
Blanco pojo
Yuraj sara
Huillcaparu
Huillcaparu
Kajbia
Kajbia
Kajbia huata
Kajbia tuero
Kellu hillcaparu
Kellu huillcaparu
Amarillo
Hillcaparu patillo
Kulli
Kulli
Collpa culli
Colorado potosino
Culli
Kulli chojnocollo
Taimuro
Oke
Oke
D. Morocho (Dark)
Semi-flint or semi-dent kernels, yellow or orange, thin & hard external starch layer and floury internal layer. Grown in the temperate valleys and subtropical regions, 1,000-3,000 masl.
Karapampa
Karapampa chico
Kellu o amarillo 8 surcos
Chuchuquella
Amarillo 8 surcos
Morocho Aiquile
Morocho de chuquisaca
Morocho 8 surcos
Tarijeño
Tojmac kellu
Morochillo de Tarija
Kajeño
Liqueneño
Morocho de Tarija
Morocho chaqueño
Amarillo duro
Morocho Colorado
Morocho chico
Amarillo 8 rayas
Morocho Panti Pampa
Morocho Tarijeñito
Patillo
Perla amarillo
Morocho grande
Morocho grande
Amarillo huancaní
Morocho Entre ríos
Morocho 8 hileras
Amarillo pojo
Kara pampa pintado
Morocho
Morocho criollo
Morocho Guadalupe
Morocho puente
Morocho tomina
Suricha
Turareña
Morocho trigal
E. Amazónico (Amazonian)
Tall and long cycle plants, with broad ears (Enano excepted), and joint floury or semi-flint kernels, large and brittle rachis. Grown in the Amazon and partially in the Chaco lowlands, 150-1,000 masl.
Bayo
Bayo
Amarillo blando aiquileño
Bayto
Blando amazónico
Blando amarillo
Blando cruceño
Amarillo cruceño
Amarillo blando
Blanco blando
Blando
Canario
Aperlado sauci
Duro amazónico
Blanco aperlado
Blanco duro
Duro beniano
Duro robore
Enano
Enano
Perla pandino
Perla pandino
F. Perla (Pearl)
Mostly short cycle plant with white and round kernels. Grown in the valleys and plains.
Aperlados
Amarillo Tacacoma
Aperlado
Aperlado Tomina
Blanco rosa
Chake sara
Chake sara
Kjachichi
Perla
Perla
Arrocillo perlita
Grande
Perla blanco
Perla chuqui
Perlas de los llanos
Blanco perla
Duro blanco
Perlas de los valles
Arrocillo
Uchuquilla
Uchuquilla de Quillacollo
Uchuquilla potosino
Perola
Perola
Arrocillo duro
Blanco cruceño
Blanco Roboré
Blanco San José
Perla amarillo
Azucarillo
Huerteño
Perla mojo toro
Santa Elena
G. Cordillera (Mountain range)
Grown in the transition zone between Chaco and the Andes meso-thermic valleys.
Blanco mojo y Blanco camba
Blanco mojo
Blanco camba
Cordillera
Cordillera
Argentino
Tucumano
Morochos de 14 hileras o Morocho camba
Cordillera Colorado
Duro
Morocho camba
Morocho cruceño
H. Razas de reciente introducción (Recently introduced races)
They include varieties such as Cubano amarillo, crossed with local races. Grown in the tropics and sub-tropics, 250-1,500 masl.
^El maíz y su mejoramiento genético en Bolivia, Gonzalo Ávila Lara, p142. ANCB – FSIP. Cochabamba. 2008.
^Ramírez E. R., Timothy D. H., Díaz B. E., Grant U. J., 1960. Races of maize in Bolivia. Nat. Acad. Sci. - Nat. Res. Council. Washington, D.C. Publ. N. 74
^Maíces Bolivianos, A. Rodríguez, M. Romero, J. Quiroga, G. Avila, with the collaboration of A. Brandolini, p. 246, FAO, Rome, 1968.
^I mais boliviani, Gonzalo Avila, A.G. Brandolini, IAO, Florence, 1990.
^Maize evolution and differentiation, A. Brandolini, G. Avila, p. 108, CRF Press, Bergamo, 2004.
^Recursos fitogenéticos de América Latina, A. Brandolini, G.V. Brandolini, p. 242, CRF Press, Bergamo, 2005
