Background to my trip Part 2 (Continued): What we're doing here

As you read in my previous post we have found intensive manioc cultivation at the Ceren archaeological site. These manioc plants were planted in large earthen beds, which is not how manioc is currently planted by farmers in the region today.  We think the large, formal beds would have provided good drainage and probably looser soils, which manioc favors. The tuber casts we have found from the archaeological beds are seemingly larger than much of the modern-day manioc tubers grown in the region.  Hence an experiment was born...

As part of our National Science Foundation grant from last year, we set up experimental test plots of manioc. Manioc is planted by cutting the stalk into 20 cm stakes and planting these in the ground.  So in three different locations, with the help of three different farmers, we planted test areas. In each test location we planted half of the manioc plants in large beds somewhat similar to those found in the archaeological record and the other half just buried in the ground-surface.



Manioc Test Plot 1 (with proud famer Julio)

 These were planted last summer and we are here this summer to harvest the manioc plants and record their size and growth. We are collecting data to determine if these use of larger beds to grow manioc is more productive. This will help us assess why the large earthen beds might have been used by the Maya.  If this does prove a more productive way to grow crops, then our local farmers might adopt the old method of growing.

Vamos a ver!