Provenances, mother tree and diameter of the trunk on the expression chemichal traits on pequi fruits

Abstract

Caryocar brasiliense Camb., popularly known as pequi, is a native tree specie from Cerrado, and cause of its versatility, it has highly importance to social and economical issues to population from that region. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of provenances, mother tree and diameter of the trunk on the expression chemical traits on pequi fruits from two origins in the State of Minas Gerais. Fruits were collected in Curvelo and São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, Minas Gerais, in a total of five mother trees for each city. They were selected according to characteristics that show their ages, being the main one the stalk diameter at the ground level. Chemical variables evaluated were: humidity, ash, lipids, proteins and total carbohydrates (CHO), pH, total soluble solide (SS) and total titratable acidity (TA). Results indicated that mother tree effects were highly significant to all variables. On the other hand provenances effects were significant only to pH, at 10%, demonstrating that most of the genetic variability is into the provenances. Regarding age effects, estimates of correlation coefficient to lipid, CHO and SS/TA were positive, however, not significant. A selection of mother trees at the field to those variables, independently of diameters, could promote genetic gain on the descendents, if they were obtained by vegetal propagation. To humidity, ash and TA estimates were negative, and no significant.