Pupunha Palm Heart Production from Different Plant Density

Abstract

The coast region of Paraná State, Brazil, has a great potential for growing of pupunha trees aiming palm heart production due to climate conditions. There were around one million pupunha trees planted at small farmers area, totalizing about 200 ha, in this region by the end of 2004. This fact confirms the specie as a sustainable and economicaly viable alternative for small farmers as long as the natural stands of juçara (Euterpe edulis) are raryng. This paper aimed to evaluate the palm heart production, at ages 24 and 39 months after planting, from plants growing instands varyng on plant density and soil class and considering processing as heart, ring and chopped. The experiment was set up in two areas located along the Alexandra-Matinhos Road (km 7 and km 10), Paranagua City, in March 2001. Randomized blocks was used as the statistical design on 100 plants per sample, four treatments and six replicates. The treatments considering spacing and plant density were: 3 m x 1 m (3.333 plants/ha); 2 m x 1 m (5.000 plants/ha); 1 m x 1 m x 1,5 m (6.666 plants/ha) e 1 m x 1 m x 2 m (8.000 plants/ha). The results showsed that: the productivity of palm heart from pupunha trees increase according to plant numberper hectare for processing as heart, ring and chopped; further harvests in theexperimental area will allow to establish the ideal plant density per hectare aiming palm heart production.