An Integrated Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Native Vanilla Species in Colombia
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LANKESTERIANA 16(2): 201–218. 2016. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/lank.v16i2.26007 AN INTEGRATED STRATEGY FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF NATIVE VANILLA SPECIES IN COLOMBIA NICOLA S. FLANAGAN1,2 & ANA TERESA MOSQUERA-ESPINOSA1 1Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana-Cali, Colombia 2 Author for correspondence: [email protected] ABSTRACT. The natural vanilla essence is obtained principally from the fruits of the species Vanilla planifolia, a member of the Vanilla aromatic clade, and native to the neo-tropics. Colombia is an important center of diversity for the genus with 22 Vanilla species reported, of which 18 belong to the aromatic clade. Colombian native Vanilla species comprise important genetic resources for the vanilla crop. Although there is no tradition of cultivation of vanilla in the country, these species have potential for establishment in sustainable agroforestry systems. Nonetheless, Vanilla, like many orchid species, is subject to both intrinsic and extrinsic conservation threats. This article outlines an integrated strategy for conservation, incorporating in situ, ex situ and circa situm measures to ensure the conservation of Vanilla species in Colombia, and to promote their sustainable use in community-based cultivation programs. This proposed strategy is also relevant for conservation managers in other countries with native Vanilla species. KEY WORDS: Vanilla crop wild relatives, mycorrhizal fungi, in situ, ex situ, circa situm conservation, Vanilla Endophyte Collection Introduction. Vanilla is one of the most economically with respect to the taxonomy, ecology and physiology important crops for low-altitude humid tropical regions, of wild species in the genus. and is now cultivated globally. The natural fragrance Colombia is located at the center of the neotropical of vanilla is a widely-used ingredient in both the food distribution for the aromatic Vanilla species, and and cosmetic industries, and is obtained from the cured recent studies indicate that a high diversity of Vanilla fruits of orchids in the genus Vanilla (Orchidaceae); species is found in the country. This article aims to principally the species Vanilla planifolia G. Jacks., outline the diversity of Vanilla in the country, the and hybrid derivatives, native to the neo-tropics (Soto- apparent conservation threats, and the actions needed Arenas 2003, 2006). to develop an integrated strategy for the conservation The vanilla crop is almost exclusively vegetatively- and sustainable use of these valuable genetic resources propagated, leading to low levels of genetic variation in the country. Many of the actions we suggest will (Bory et al. 2008), and making the crop vulnerable to also be relevant for the conservation management of pathogen infestation. The fungal pathogen, Fusarium this valuable genus in other countries. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-vanillae (Koyyappurath et al. 2015a), that causes root and stem rot is one of several Vanilla diversity in Colombia. Colombia is the most with a severe impact on vanilla production systems biodiverse country for the Orchidaceae, with close to (Hernandez-Hernandez 2011). Crop improvement 4,300 species reported, including for the genus Vanilla programs to combat this susceptibility, as well as to (Ministerio de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sostenible incorporate further desirable traits in the development [MADS] y Universidad Nacional de Colombia of new commercial vanilla cultivars are limited by [UNAL] 2015). This genus in the basal subfamily a lack of germplasm from both the primary and the Vanilloideae comprises monopodial, hemi-epiphytic secondary gene pool (Roux-Cuvelier & Grisoni 2010). to epiphytic climbing vines with branching stems. The Despite the economic importance of this crop, it has genus has a pan-tropical distribution, and consists of received relatively little investigation, in particular roughly 110 species (Soto-Arenas & Cribb 2010; and Received 3 May 2016; accepted for publication 13 July 2016. First published online: 30 August 2016. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Costa Rica License 202 LANKESTERIANA • V SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON ANDEAN ORCHIDS • INVITED PAPERS see Koch et al. 2013, Molineros-Hurtado et al. 2014, center of diversity for this genus, and in particular for Pansarin et al. 2012, 2016). Within the neotropical the aromatic clade. The Chocó Biogeographic region region approximately 53 species are recognized, on the Pacific coast of Colombia is notably diverse, belonging to three distinct phylogenetic lineages: the with eight aromatic species. For Central America basal membranaceous clade (Vanilla subgen. Vanilla and Mexico 15 Vanilla species are reported (Soto- sect. Membranacea Porteres) with 15 species; five Arenas & Dressler, 2010). Soto-Arenas and Cribb Caribbean species that are phylogenetically related (2010) recognize 26 species in Brazil, where further to African species; and finally the so-called aromatic species have been described recently (Pansarin et al. clade (Vanilla subgen. Xanata sect. Xanata) with 33 2012, Pansarin & Miranda 2016), including Vanilla species (Soto-Arenas & Cribb 2010). The cultivated labellopapillata, affiliated toV. insignis and V. odorata species V. planifolia, as well as other species with (Koch et al. 2013). aromatic fruits, fall within this clade. The natural populations of aromatic Vanilla species The study of taxonomy and distributions of in Colombia comprise important genetic resources for Vanilla has been hampered due to the rarity of plants vanilla crop improvement, including both wild, locally in natural habitat, their low flowering frequency and adapted populations of V. planifolia, as well as other ephemeral flowers (lasting generally no more than 24 aromatic species. These crop wild relatives represent hours). Based on a review of literature and specimens the secondary gene pool of cultivated vanilla, and some deposited in the major international herbaria, Soto- have already proved of value in cultivar development. Arenas & Cribb (2010) registered eleven species for For example, the cultivated V. x. tahitensis, grown Colombia, ten of which fall in the aromatic clade. exclusively in Tahiti, possesses distinct, valued Herbaria in Colombia were, however, not consulted. organoleptic properties, and has been determined to Recent work in the field in Colombia has identified be of hybrid origin between the two parental species natural populations of twelve species, including four V. planifolia and V. odorata (Lubinsky et al. 2008). new reports for the country: V. bicolor, V. cribbiana, Vanilla pompona has been used to develop hybrid V. helleri, and V. phaeantha, and a confirmation cultivars with V. planifolia in Central America with an of wild populations of V. planifolia (Molineros- increased resistance to Fusarium infection (Belanger Hurtado 2012, Molineros-Hurtado et al., unpubl. & Havkin-Frenkel 2011). data). Additionally a new species, V. rivasii has been In addition to their use in crop breeding programs described, named after the campesino who found for Vanilla planifolia, the direct cultivation of these the plant (Molineros-Hurtado et al. 2014). Ortiz- native aromatic Vanilla species provides a promising Valdivieso (2015) listed two further species for the opportunity for sustainable use of biological diversity, country, Vanilla palmarum and Vanilla penicillata offering new products in a diversified fragrance and both from the Amazon region. All these additional aroma market. Considerable differences exist in the reports constitute species in the aromatic clade. The relative compositions of volatiles both between species Colombian MADS & UNAL (2015) report three (Ranadive 2011), and between V. planifolia cultivars additional species belonging to the Membranaceous from different regions (Salazar-Rojas et al. 2011), and, clade: V. guianensis, V. inodora and V. mexicana, as seen with V x. tahitensis, these differences may be although these reports lack associated reference of commercial interest. specimens, and may need botanical verification. In addition to consideration of plant diversity, Table 1 lists the reported species for Colombia, with the biological resources represented by the microbial sources. Figure 1 illustrates a number of Colombian diversity associated with wild Vanilla species must also native Vanilla species in natural habitat. be included in a comprehensive conservation program. These reports bring the total number of species for Beneficial symbionts with positive functional roles in Colombia to 22, of which 18 fall within the aromatic the natural environment may be of significant value clade. Three of these aromatic species, Vanilla in developing eco-efficient agricultural practices for columbiana, V. espondae and V. rivasii are endemic to the crop, and enhancing strategies for population re- the country. Thus, Colombia represents an important introductions. LANKESTERIANA 16(2). 2016. © Universidad de Costa Rica, 2016. FLANAGAN & MOSQUERA-ESPINOSA — Conservation of Vanilla in Colombia 203 TABLE 1. Register of presence of Vanilla species in Colombia. Historical distributions are based on herbarium records. Vanilla species Current known or Historical Citation for presence in Colombia Distribution in Colombia Vanilla bicolor Lindl. Chocó Molineros-Hurtado, 2012; Molineros et al., unpubl. data Vanilla calyculata Schltr. Andean-Valle del Cauca Molineros-Hurtado, 2012; Molineros et al., unpubl. data Vanilla columbiana