Usos y conocimiento etnobotánico del angú (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) en Estación Naranjo, Sinaloa

Abstract

The angú, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, also known as okra, is an annual plant with high nutritional and dietary value. It originates from the African continent but is cultivated in numerous countries, including Mexico, where its presence has been reported in several states of the republic. In Sinaloa, it has been recorded as a scarcely cultivated crop, with only 55 hectares sown during the 2024 growing season. However, there is no formal record of the uses given to this plant by local inhabitants. The objective of the present study is to document the uses of A. esculentus in the state of Sinaloa, specifically in Estación Naranjo, Sinaloa municipality. For this purpose, a qualitative semi-structured interview was conducted using the “snowball” sampling technique with 357 community members. This approach made it possible to document that the plant has been cultivated in the community for more than ten years, and that local residents have empirically determined its growing season, sowing methods, germination process, water requirements, and harvest time. Furthermore, it was found that the fruits are used to prepare various traditional Mexican dishes. Finally, the study concludes that in Estación Naranjo there exists an interesting body of ethnobotanical knowledge regarding the uses of angú, developed autonomously by the local population. This demonstrates that people can discover new applications even for non-native resources, contributing to the diversification and enrichment of their diet.