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SUMMARY
- The infestation of the Ojos Negros valley with coquillo is moderate to severe, with 11 affected parcels,
and the extent of infestation varying from 10 to 30 percent.
- The presence of coquillo in the valley is related to the presence of the green onion crop and the associated
practice of renting the land to the agricultural companies.
- Coquillo likes plenty of sunlight and water. Shading inhibits the growth of coquillo; irrigation
favors the development of coquillo.
- Coquillo is difficult to control by mechanical or chemical means. The tubers can grow to depths up to 1 m,
making it next to impossible to dispose by mechanical extraction.
- Coquillo can be controlled by cultural means, e.g., by rotation to a taller plant such as alfalfa, or by resting the land
for a few years. Coquillo can also be temporarily controlled by weeding, although at a high cost to the farmer.
- Coquillo may also be controlled by alternative means
such as soil solarization and feed for pigs, and it may be grown commercially for use as food for wildlife, particularly wild turkies and cranes.
- The yellow nutsedge of the Sativus variety is used in other parts of the world as food for humans.
The tubers are grounded and used in the production of a beverage called horchata de chufas, which has a pleasant flavor of
vanilla and almonds.
- The cultivation of coquillo in the Ojos Negros valley holds promise. It
will require a change of perception on the part of farmers, government officials, and other actors.
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