Growth and fruit production of the tree Caryocar brasiliense in the Cerrado of central Brazil

Abstract

Caryocar brasiliense is a native tree found throughout the Cerrado savanna biome in central Brazil, and is exploited by rural population as food and industry. Although the abundance and popularity of this species in Cerrado have been an important component of local extractive economy, several aspects of sustainability as fruit production per tree size and growth rate have received little attention. We monitored, during two growing seasons, the stem growth rates and fruit production of tree in a wild population in Distrito Federal, central Brazil. The results showed a low growth rate of trees. The proportion of adult population fruiting was higher in 2006 than in 2007. For the smallest size (7.3-cm stem diameter) to begin fruiting, the estimated age was between 30 and 51 years old, and for tree with the largest stem diameter in the plot (43-cm diameter) the age was estimated to be between 110 and 153 years old. The whole fruit production by hectare was highly variable between years and was associated with differences in annual precipitation. The total fruit production was 1,004 fruits per ha (72.9 kg ha -1 ) in 2006, and 299 fruits per ha (21.7 kg ha -1 ) in 2007. The fruit production per tree was significantly positively correlated between 2006 and 2007 fruit season. Although an estimated fruit yield for whole Cerrado region is more than enough to support the actual demand, the slow growth rates and intensive harvesting indicates that more attention to sustainable management is required to avert demographic collapse of this cornerstone of the Cerrado extractive economy.

Traditional knowledge and uses of the Caryocar brasiliense Cambess. (Pequi) by “quilombolas” of Minas Gerais, Brazil: subsidies for sustainable management

“…Alternating productivity of C. brasiliense between years has been reported in the State of Goiás by Santana and Naves (2003), in Minas Gerais by Oliveira (2009), and in the Federal District by Zardo and Henriques (2011), and such productivity is generally associated with flutuations in rainfall. According to Pontinha respondents, the time required for a Pequi tree to begin fruiting is 3 to 20 years, which is the time required to reach a height between 2.5 and 5.0 m. The Pequi tree can require up to 28 years before it begins producing fruits; however, with proper care, this time can be reduced to 8 years (Oliveira, 2009).…”

“…Rheas, seriemas, parrots, crows, carcara hawks, agoutis, deer, opossum, and caterpillars are recognized in the literature as frugivores of C. brasiliense and possible primary dispersers (Gribel, 1986;Carvalho, 2008;Oliveira and Scariot, 2010). Ants, termites, and beetles can also be effective in removing the pulp and burying the seeds, which may favor germination (Oliveira, 2009;Zardo and Henriques, 2011).…”

Preliminary Economic Study of Biodiesel Production from Pequi in Brazil

“…However, pequi fruits have been collected by decades in wild explorations areas. Although some domestication initiatives have already been initiated, they are in experimental stages [31]. Thus, studies and policies about the management of this species in relation to sustaining yield should be motivated.…”

Land use and management affects the demography and conservation of an intensively harvested Cerrado fruit tree species

“…For sapling, juvenile and adult, we used the sum of fire events for the last 11 years (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010). Caryocar's slow growth (diameter average b 2 mm/year (Zardo and Henriques, 2011)) makes it susceptible to fire for a long period. At least 8 years are needed for Cerrado plants to evade the fire-resistance threshold (Hoffmann et al, 2012).…”

“…The Federal Government defined a minimum price to be paid for in natura fruits, with the aim of promoting their harvest and commercialization. There is no information on the impacts caused by fruit harvest, management practices and land use on the persistence of this species' population (Zardo and Henriques, 2011).…”