Plantas indicadoras e relações edafológicas em hortas urbanas no município de São Paulo (SP)

Abstract

Sustainable agriculture is one of the pathways to sustainable development of the planet. In this context, urban gardens can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda, proposed by the United Nations (UN) in 2015. The present study aimed to characterize urban gardens in the municipality of São Paulo, verify the presence of spontaneous plants, and their correlation with soil nutrients. Ten urban gardens were selected within the municipality of São Paulo. Initially, the gardens were characterized through the author's visits, using photographs and observations with the respective managers. Next, the species of spontaneous plants present in these spaces were identified and quantified. Subsequently, a phytosociological survey was conducted. Finally, soil analyses were performed to correlate soil quality with the spontaneous plants found in the gardens. During the on-site visits, it was found that these gardens contribute to the SDGs by conserving green areas in the city, promoting environmental education, social interaction, production, and access to healthy food for the urban and peri-urban population. The most representative (relative importance) spontaneous plant species found, with invasive potential, were Trapoeraba (Commelina benghalensis L.), Picão-branco (Galinsoga parviflora Cav.) and Dinheiro-em-penca (Callisia repens.). Soil analyses demonstrated some positive correlations between plants and nutrients, indicating the amount of organic matter in the species with the highest relative importance, such as Commelina benghalensis, Amaranthus sp., and Galinsoga parviflora. But studies with a larger number of samples are still needed to obtain more conclusive results. Some of the plants found have food and medicinal potential.