Study of measurement of juçara palm (Euterpe edulis M.) for the development of a management system of fruit production

Abstract

The Euterpe edulis Martius, better known as juçara palm , is a higher density species in the Atlantic Rain Forest and has been undergoing an intense process of extinction, mainly due to illegal cut for the production of palm heart. An alternative to the preservation of the specie is the sustainable management of the palmiteiro, through the use of its fruits for pulp production, known in the market under the name of 'açaí'. The objective of this work is to provide the subsidies necessary for measurement of the development of a sustainable management system of the palmiteiro, for the production of fruit and pulp for small holders and traditional communities. The field survey will be conducted on small farms in the city of Ubatuba, northern coast of São Paulo. From the data collected will be possible to characterize the structure and dynamics of the palm, and the construction, fit and selection of models for predicting the production of pulp and fruit per plant.