Acrocomia spp.: neglected crop, ballyhooed multipurpose palm or fit for the bioeconomy? A review

Abstract

Acrocomia spp., a genus of wild-growing palms in the neotropics, is rapidly gaining interest as a promising multipurpose crop. Diverse products can be derived from various components of the palm, the oils being of highest interest. Acrocomia shows similar oil yield and fatty acid composition to the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). It is, however, able to cope with a wider range of environmental conditions, including temporary water scarcity and lower temperatures, thus potentially a more sustainable alternative to its tropical counterpart. Acrocomia’s research history is recent compared to other traditional crops and thus knowledge gaps, uncertainty, and challenges need to be addressed. This review attempts to assess the acrocomia’s preparedness for cultivation by highlighting the state-of-the-art in research and identifying research gaps. Based on a systematic literature search following a value web approach, it (a) provides a comprehensive overview of research topics, (b) shows the development of publication activities over time and the drivers of this development, and (c) compiles main findings to assess the acrocomia’s preparedness for commercial cultivation. Our results confirm its multipurpose characteristic as a potential feedstock for manifold sectors. Research has continued to increase over the last decade, especially on A. aculeata and is driven by the interest in bioenergy. Increasing knowledge on botany has contributed to understanding the genetic diversity and genus-specific biology. This has enabled applied research on seed germination and propagation toward domestication and initial plantation activities, mostly in Brazil. Main research gaps are associated with genotype–environment interaction, planting material, crop management, and sustainable cropping systems. Overall, we conclude that acrocomia is at an early phase of development as an alternative and multipurpose crop and its up-scaling requires the integration of sustainability strategies tailored to location-based social-ecological conditions.

The next era of crop domestication starts now

“…Domestication of new plant species in the twenty-first century has been initiated despite resource constraints, and these efforts span plant families and types: bioenergy crops ( 150 ), cacti ( 151 ), ferns ( 152 ), halophytes ( 153 – 160 ), tree fruits and nuts ( 161 , 162 ), macroalgae ( 163 – 166 ), marine grasses ( 141 , 167 ), microalgae ( 168 ), palms ( 169 , 170 ), perennial grasses ( 171 – 173 ), perennial groundcovers ( 174 ), perennial oilseeds ( 90 , 175 , 176 ), and perennial tree and grain legumes ( 177 – 179 ).…”

Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata): Biology, Oil Processing, and Technological Potential

“…Macauba, like most palm species, has an essentially extractive cultivation system, leading to habitat fragmentation, increasing inbreeding, and decreasing genetic diversity [37]. Both the domestication process and the development of breeding programs for A. aculeata are still at an incipient stage [27,38] should be integral and systematic due to the socioeconomic impact of the cultivation of this palm and the application prospects [7]. The success of the domestication process depends on genetic improvement programs that are directly related to the choice of genotypes with the best agronomic characteristics [39].…”

“…Ex Mart.] is an endemic palm species of the Americas that presents all these peculiarities, becoming a promising alternative for the development of a sustainable production chain of oils and co-products of industrial interest [5][6][7].…”

“…Excellent studies on the biology of macauba have been reported, including the factors that influence productivity, domestication processes, and genetic improvement, aiming for the development of commercial crops, and genetic variability, among others. Recently, Vargas-Carpinteiro et al have published an exhaustive review on Acrocomia, showing that studies on harvesting, postharvest, crude oil extraction, refining, and deodorization are among the most incipient topics [7]. Therefore, the DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105540 present study addresses the biology of A. aculeata, with emphasis on the processing steps from fruit to oil, as well as the main applications of macauba oils.…”

Production of Protein Concentrates from Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata and Acrocomia totai) Kernels by Sieve Fractionation

“…Different from oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis ), which requires a hot humid tropical environment to grow, the macauba palm adapts to different environments, including cooler subtropical and drier semiarid ecosystems [ 3 ], and possesses relative tolerance to periods of rain shortages [ 1 ]. Therefore, macauba palms can be cultivated in areas where oil palms cannot be produced, resulting in lower risks of a tropical rain forest clearance [ 4 ]. Macauba palms also have a high socioeconomic importance due to their wide occurrence [ 5 ].…”