Yerba mate cultivation system produces up to ten times more than the traditional one

A new yerba mate cultivation system, developed by Embrapa Florestas (PR), allows up to ten harvests in 18 months, that is, nine more than traditionally used in the culture, which is just one in the same period. Called Barley-greenhouse, it also has potential for the development of new products, mainly different types of teas from young leaves of plants, grown in channels inside greenhouses, like small bushes. The system will still undergo validation with rural producers, but the results are promising and could contribute to raising yerba mate to a higher level in the tea market and other higher value-added products, in addition to expanding its commercialization in Brazil. and in the world.

According to researcher Ivar Wendling, Cevad-estufa is aimed at harvesting young leaves and not mature ones, traditionally used in mate production, for example. Just as black tea, green tea and white tea are already produced from Camellia sinensis, which uses different leaves and processes, it will also be possible to do this with the leaves of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) and generate teas with flavors differentiated and higher concentrations of caffeine and antioxidants. All of this can still be enhanced with the use of improved yerba mate cultivars, scheduled to be launched within three years by Embrapa Florestas.

Implementation Costs 

The adoption of Cevad-greenhouse, which is completely different from field cultivation, will require higher costs for implementation, as it involves investments in greenhouse facilities, channels, acquisition of a large quantity of seedlings, technical assistance and specialized labor for the management, in addition to fertilizers for an adequate nutrient solution. “Despite the initial cost, the system has great productivity potential, in addition to generating differentiated raw materials. With these advantages, it is expected that the implementation investment will pay off over time and generate a good economic return”, says the researcher. “Furthermore, it presents greater potential for automation,” he adds.

System production and chemical characterization

Student Jéssica Tomasi's doctoral study evaluated biomass production over the course of a year and the composition of bioactives, using different clones and doses of nitrogen in the nutrient solution. The productivity results demonstrated that there was little fluctuation over the six harvests in the year, confirming the potential of the system in terms of continuous production and the variation between genotypes. Also, according to Tomasi, it was concluded that there is an influence of seasonality on the content of bioactive compounds, such as caffeine and different types of antioxidants.

Another study on Cevad-greenhouse, led by Leandro Vieira, analyzed aspects related to the rooting of minicuttings and the production of green mass of yerba mate. The chemical composition of 15 clones was also evaluated in terms of caffeine, theobromine, phenolic compounds, sugars and total proteins. It was found that, in general, yerba mate genotypes present specific characteristics regarding chemical composition, productivity, propagation potential, need to use plant regulators, seasonality, interval between harvests, among other aspects, which demonstrates the viability of cultivars that are being studied to serve market niches for specific products. 

“The production of green mass in the new system proved to be different and with unprecedented results, and could become a cultivation system aimed at producing raw materials for the yerba mate industry”, says Vieira. Furthermore, two genotypes stood out for containing high levels of total phenolic compounds, proteins, caffeine and high antioxidant activity. Another genotype showed high green mass productivity in Cevad-greenhouse cultivation, enabling productivity of 96 tons per hectare per year, according to the study.

“Highly productive genotypes with different chemical characteristics can result in products of great interest to the yerba mate industry. Thus, knowledge of the characteristics of each genotype in terms of nutritional requirements, cultivation method, pruning, propagation, among other factors, has the potential to increase efficiency in the multiplication and cultivation of yerba mate”, emphasizes Vieira.

Greenhouse barley could result in antioxidant capsules, unprecedented on the market

Studies have shown the existence of around 200 chemical compounds in yerba mate leaves, many potentially bioactive. With this new production system, in addition to special teas, it is possible to extract compounds for the production of cosmetics, food supplements and pharmaceutical products for different purposes.

One of the options are capsules or sachets with yerba mate extract powder, which have an important antioxidant effect. Another product of interest are stimulants, due to the high quality and concentration of caffeine in young yerba mate leaves, in improved genetic materials. “As far as we know, no differentiated capsules are yet available on the market, nor is the extraction of caffeine and antioxidants from yerba mate carried out on a commercial scale, which makes these studies very promising”, emphasizes Wendling. 

High productivity and production speed

In the Cevad-greenhouse, the herbs are placed in a greenhouse, arranged in rows, on raised beds containing sand duly prepared for this purpose. The spacing between them is 15 cm x 15 cm, and the plants reach 15 cm to 30 cm in height. Every 30 to 90 days, new shoots appear and can be harvested to make teas or to extract compounds such as caffeine and antioxidants, for example, which are found in higher concentrations in young leaves. The new system allows more than 300 thousand yerba mate plants to be allocated in one hectare, while in the field production system, 2.200 plants are installed per hectare. 

 “Every 60 days, on average, it is possible to collect new shoots and leaves. Results showed that it is possible to produce up to 90 tons of biomass per hectare in one year in the new system, while the average Brazilian productivity of yerba mate is 7,5 tons per year, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) ”, says the researcher. “These are not forms of planting that compete with each other. Each one has a different objective and ways of conducting”, highlights Wendling.