Agrobiodiversity of Home Gardens in Selected Marginal Upland Villages of Inopacan, Leyte, Philippines

Beatriz S. Belonias, Czarina S. Platino, and Jessa T. Malanguis

Abstract

Home gardens as subsistence crop production systems provide an immediate food and livelihood to communities. They are considered as heterogeneous micro-agroecosystems which harbor a wide assortment of food, spice, ornamental and medicinal plants, fruit trees and other crop species. This study was conducted to assess the agrobiodiversity of home gardens in selected marginal degraded upland areas in Eastern Visayas specifically those found in ________. The study aimed to identify plants, document economic uses, and characterize structure and management of home gardens in three barangays (namely, Linao, Guinsangaan, and Tao-taon) in Inopacan, Leyte, Philippines. Botanical identities of collected plants were verified using appropriate taxonomic references and herbarium specimens were deposited at the VSU Herbarium, Visayas State University, Baybay City, Leyte. A total of 171 species belonging to 146 genera and 74 families were identified. Most of the samples were classified as ornamentals (70%) and fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, and other crops (30%). The most diverse families in terms of genera/species were Asteraceae or Compositae (9/10), Orchidaceae (7/8), Fabaceae (7/7), Araceae (7/7), Zingiberaceae (6/7), Lamiaceae (5/6), Poaceae (4/5), Cucurbitaceae (4/4), Asparagaceae (4/4), Apocynaceae (4/4) and Meliaceae (4/4). The species were also stratified terrestrially based on growth habit with herbs (40%) occupying the ground layer, followed by the shrub (21%) layer, and trees (27%) dominating the upper layer. Succulent vines like string beans, upo, squash, and ampalaya were grown in trellises. Orchids and other epiphytes were mounted on bamboo posts or directly attached to trees. Most of the respondents (>80%) obtained the planting materials from the wild while the remaining 14% used commercial seeds. Container-gardening was adopted for herbaceous vegetables and ornamentals. About 87% used organic fertilizer from composted plant debris or animal manure such as chicken dung or goat manure. Crop produce was mostly for household consumption although about 35% sold these for supplemental household income.