Facing global markets – usage changes in Western Amazonian plants: the example of Euterpe precatoria Mart. and E. oleracea Mart.

Abstract

Palms (Arecaceae) are one of the most important families of useful plants, and indigenous societies have developed very distinct ways of utilizing this resource. The clonal <em>Euterpe oleracea </em>Mart. has long been used for the preparation of frothy beverages in the eastern Amazon, in particular by colonists and caboclos, but to a much lesser extent by the indigenous population. <em>Euterpe precatoria </em>Mart., which grows in the western Amazon, is traditionally reported as resource for construction and thatch, but not as important species in alimentation. Our recent work indicates that the use of both species has dramatically shifted in the recent past. Prices for <em>Euterpe </em>products have increased dramatically due to the global commodization first of palm hearts and “Açaí berry juice” as nutritional supplement. This is especially evident in western Amazonia: In Bolivia and Peru, where older indigenous informants mostly reported thatch and houseposts as regular use for <em>E. precatoria </em>and did not know <em>E. oleracea</em>. Younger informants most commonly reported to a large extent on <em>E. precatoria </em>being used for the production of palm hearts, but less for other, while the youngest informants in many cases only knew <em>E. precatoria </em>fruits as source of beverages, as commercial fruit, and as source for handicrafts, and indicated that <em>E. oleracea </em>was being introduced because the species yielded higher harvests. In addition, many mid-age and younger informants reported <em>Euterpe </em>sp. as medicinal species, a less frequently mentioned by older informants. The local mestizo population in contrast had a broader distributed knowledge with regard to “food” uses of <em>Euterpe </em>sp., and mentioned the species as source of construction material less frequently.

Mating system analysis of Açaí-do-Amazonas (Euterpe precatoria Mart.) using molecular markers

“…The palm Euterpe precatoria Mart. (acaí-do-Amazonas) belongs to the family Arecaceae, occurring in the western and central Brazilian Amazon and to within borders of the Amazon of Peru, Brazil, Colombia (Kahn 1991), and Bolivia (Bussmann and Zambrana 2012). The species is exploited by an extractive production chain, maintained by the local population since several decades and currently intensified due to the interest of different industries.…”

Paternity analysis, pollen flow, and spatial genetic structure of a natural population ofEuterpe precatoriain the Brazilian Amazon

“…In the long term, local populations’ exploitation created a production chain, which is currently being expanded, including different industries. More farmers could easily have the opportunity to become part of this production chain, since E. precatoria is found all along the outskirts of the western Amazon and central Brazil, as well as along the Amazon border in Peru, Colombia (Kahn, ) and Bolivia (Bussmann & Zambrana, ; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], ). In the Amazon, E. precatoria occurs along rivers, in periodically flooded forests with alluvial soils (Henderson, ), due to the seasonal variation in water levels over the year (a water phase, during which the areas are flooded, and a terrestrial phase, when the areas are not flooded).…”

“…The species is important too, particularly in rural communities in the Amazon region, where the trees are continuously used as building material, fabric, fuel, foods, medicine, and ornamental plants (Sosnowska & Balslev, ). The roots are used to prepare drugs to treat malaria, hepatitis, and other diseases (Bussmann & Zambrana, ). Euterpe precatoria is a highly promising species and should be valued accordingly, with investing efforts to initiate research on its domestication, particularly with regard to management and conservation techniques (in situ, ex situ , or on farm ) in the short term, because this high demand can affect market supply and prices, aside from stimulating the implementation of monoculture areas of the species with little genetic variability.…”

Preservation and maceration of amazon açai leaflet tissue to obtain genomic DNA

“…It is found naturally in the northern region of Brazil, in the states of Acre, Rondônia, Amazonas, and Pará. It occurs as solitary stems in large populations with different density levels in flooded and dryland areas (BUSSMANN; ZAMBRANA, 2012).…”