Avaliação de genótipos de urucum (<i>Bixa orellana</i> L.) por meio da caracterização morfológica de frutos, produtividade de sementes e teor de bixina

Abstract

RESUMOBixa orellana L. (urucum) é considerada uma fonte importante de corantes naturais para as indústrias alimentícia, farmacêutica e têxtil, sendo o Brasil um dos maiores produtores e exportadores do corante extraído das sementes desta planta. O objetivo deste trabalho foi a caracterização morfológica de frutos, a avaliação da produtividade de sementes e do teor do carotenoide bixina presente nas sementes recém-colhidas e armazenadas por períodos de 30, 60, 90 e 120 dias, realizada em 10 genótipos de urucum, a fim de fornecer subsídios para a seleção de genótipos superiores para estas características. Houve variação em todas as características avaliadas entre os 10 genótipos. Os frutos, de todos os genótipos, são recobertos por cerdas ou pêlos, apresentam coloração avermelhada, verde, amarela ou vermelha e duas formas básicas, oval ou lanceolada. Os frutos apresentaram comprimentos médios que variaram entre 3,1 a 4,8 cm e larguras entre 2,4 a 3,1 cm. O número médio de sementes por fruto variou de 41,5 a 50,6. A massa de 100 sementes variou de 1,1 a 2,24 g. Houve significativa diferença na concentração de bixina entre os genótipos, sendo possível identificar genótipos com altos níveis deste carotenoide (5,05 %), superior aos já relatados por outros estudos. O teor de bixina decresceu com o aumento no período de armazenamento das sementes. Palavras-chave: corantes naturais; carotenoides; variabilidade fenotípica. ABSTRACTBixa orellana L. (annatto) is considered an important source of natural colorants for food, pharmaceutical and textile industries and Brazil is one of the largest producers and exporters of this natural dye extracted from this plant. The morphological characterization of fruits, evaluation of seed productivity and the content of carotenoid bixin present in freshly harvested and stored seeds for periods of 30, 60, 90 and 120 days, were performed on 10 genotypes of annatto to provide subsidies for the selection of superior genotypes for these characteristics. There were variations in all evaluated characteristics between the 10 genotypes. The fruit of all genotypes are covered with bristles or hairs, have reddish, green, yellow or red color, and two basic forms, oval or lanceolate. The fruits had average lengths ranging from 3.1 to 4.8 cm, and widths between 2.4 to 3.1 cm. The average number of seeds per fruit ranged from 41.5 to 50.6. The mass of 100 seeds varied from 1.1 to 2.24 g. There was significant difference in the concentration of bixin among genotypes, being possible to identify genotypes with high levels of bixin carotenoid (5.05 %), superior to those already reported by other studies. The content of bixin decreased with the increase in the period of storage of seeds.

Morpho-agronomic characterization and estimates of genetic parameters in annatto plant

“…Mantovani et al (2013) describe the same attributes for fruits produced from the artificial cross between the varieties "Fruto verde piloso" and "Fruto vermelho liso", with exception for dehiscence.…”

“…Morphologic characterization of the fruits was carried out considering the following traits: colors of unripe fruits (red, reddish or green); length and width (using a digital caliper to measure the higher diameter, in mm); shape in relation to length:width ratio (oval = width equal or superior to 70% of length; lanceolate = width less than 70% of length) according to the methodology described by Mantovani et al (2013) and dehiscence observing the capsule opening, when the bunches were at harvesting time.…”

“…Mantovani et al (2013) highlight that high productivity clonal plantations represent a feasible alternative and they can be established by vegetative propagation of superior genotypes of annatto.…”

Study on Extraction and Conversion Annatto (Bixa orellana L.) Color into Norbixin to Prepare Food Grade Water-Soluble Norbixin Powder

“…After shelling, removing the impurities, floaters and small grains, seeds were dried in an oven at temperature of 40 °C until the moisture content reached about 10% as recommended by Mantovani et al [5]. All chemicals used in research were of analytical grade.…”

Agroclimatic zoning for urucum crops in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…orellana is a rapidly growing perennial species of the Bixaceae family (Barbieri et al 2011), reaching 2-4 m in height, with ovoid fruit capsules that contain 30-40 seeds. The seeds are rich in carotenoids, which produce the characteristic red colour of the fruit (Costa et al 2013;Mantovani et al 2013). Urucum has a regional and national importance in the production of pigments used as natural dyes in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries (Vilar et al 2014), with high commercial value (Costa et al 2008;Valério et al 2015).…”