Does peanuts originate from Bolivia? | ¿El maní tiene origen boliviano?

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An expert claims that “all peanuts, from all over the world,” come from a cross “between two wild species of Bolivian peanuts”.

Una imagen referencial. Foto: Infobae / Cocina fácil

A referential image. Photo: Infobae / Cocina fácil

An investigator from the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Sergio Svistoonoff, stated in a conference that peanuts “from all over the world” come from a possibly natural cross, over ten thousand years ago, between two wild species of Bolivian peanuts.

“All peanuts, from all over the world, actually come from a possibly natural cross over ten thousand years ago between two wild species of Bolivian peanuts,” said Svistoonoff during the conference titled: “Use of Wild Bolivian Peanuts to Improve Cultivation in Other Regions.”

The event took place at the IRD facilities in the city of La Paz on August 15. Researchers and students from the Agronomy Program at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés attended the event.

The researcher during the conference.

In a presentation lasting approximately an hour and a half, the specialist discussed the nutritional significance of peanuts. Additionally, the expert emphasized its history and improvement, based on the wild species Arachis cardenassi, native to Bolivia, which is resistant to fungi and pests.

“In the Chiquitania and the Chaco, there must be new species yet to be discovered and not yet known, and of course, they haven’t been used yet, but they could be very important for solving future problems,” he said.

He also highlighted that in that area, “there are many fires and deforestation, among other things, and possibly other wild species of peanuts with potential future uses are disappearing before they are even described.”

According to an official bulletin, Bolivia has a treasure in terms of biodiversity that can be used to improve global peanut production, and this treasure is being ignored and needs to be protected.

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