Resumo

ALVAREZ-GONZALEZ, Hiady Simón et al. Peasant and scientific criteria for the characterization of native maize, Acambay, Mexico. agric. soc. desarro [online]. 2025, vol.22, n.2, pp.262-277.  Epub 16-Jun-2025. ISSN 1870-5472.  https://doi.org/10.22231/asyd.v22i2.1702.

Farmers and scientists use multiple criteria to categorize native maize varieties. However, these criteria are documented separately, and farming knowledge or scientific knowledge is omitted. This research was carried out from August 2022 to May 2024, with the aim of analyzing farming and scientific criteria for the characterization of native maize, to help revaluate the peasant biocultural heritage of two communities in Acambay, State of Mexico. To identify these criteria, 20 semi-structured interviews were applied to peasants from San Pedro de los Metates and Ganzda, in the municipality of Acambay (5 women and 5 men per community); also, a workshop for dialogue was developed with 7 scientists, who are experts in native maize. Responses were openly coded, using the ATLAS.ti 2024 software; they were organized using a categorization matrix and analyzed with Microsoft Power.BI. Between them, farmers and scientists use 175 criteria to characterize native maize varieties. These criteria are classified into 10 categories, the most important of which are uses, morphology, processing, resistance and phenology. 41.7% of these criteria correspond to intrinsic qualities and 58.3% to extrinsic factors; closely related to native maize varieties. The criteria used by Otomi peasants and scientists together improve understanding of the nature of native maize and strengthen the revaluation of this biocultural heritage.

Palavras-chave : characterization; native maize varieties; otomi; peasant knowledge; scientific knowledge.

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