First guaraná cultivar propagated by seed will be launched in Amazonas

Field tests in Amazonas proved productivity more than seven times higher than the state average

30.11.2021 | 13:49 (UTC -3)
Embrapa
Field tests in Amazonas proved productivity more than seven times higher than the state average. - Photo: Lucio Cavalcanti
Field tests in Amazonas proved productivity more than seven times higher than the state average. - Photo: Lucio Cavalcanti

Embrapa Amazônia Oeste (AM) presents the first guaraná cultivar that can be reproduced by seeds: BRS Noçoquém. In addition to increasing annual productivity by more than seven times - reaching 2,3 kg/plant while 0,3 kg/plant is the average for the state of Amazonas - the cultivar is resistant to the main disease that affects the guarana tree, anthracnose.

Another important difference is that it represents an alternative to growing guaraná using clonal seedlings. With this cultivar propagated by seed, it is expected to increase the number of producers dedicated to this crop and expand the planted area in the state of Amazonas.

With clonal varieties, it is necessary to accredit nurseries to produce the seedlings, since the cutting technique requires more care and increases the cost for the producer. “The form of seed reproduction allows producers to make their own seedlings to expand crops, after receiving a batch of basic seeds for the cultivar”, highlights Embrapa Amazônia Oeste researcher, André Atroch. Likewise, the production of seedlings in licensed nurseries is easier and more economical, reducing the selling price for rural producers.

The period for the formation of a guaraná seedling by seeds is approximately 12 months, from collection or acquisition of seeds to definitive planting in the field. According to Atroch, the care necessary for the formation of a good seedling is the same as for the production of fruit species, that is, keeping the seedlings always with a good supply of water and some fertilization during their formation. In the case of this cultivar, the producer's traditional system in Amazonas with nurseries with straw cover and wet irrigation are sufficient to form a good BRS Noçoquém seedling.

The high productivity of the new cultivar was proven in evaluations carried out in the experimental fields of Embrapa Amazônia Oeste in Maués and Manaus, when an average productivity of 2,3 kg/plant/year of seeds was verified, while the average in the state is around 0,3 .4 kg/plant/year. Analyzes carried out on the harvested seeds also indicate a good level of caffeine, with levels between 5% and XNUMX%.

The new cultivar also underwent evaluation in producer areas through Observation Units in the municipalities of Urucará, São Sebastião do Uatumã, Maués, Parintins, Silves, where they presented the same characteristics obtained in the experimental fields.

Genetic variability and disease resistance

Atroch explains that a cultivar like BRS Noçoquém multiplied by seeds has high genetic variability, as each plant is a different genotype, implying a lower risk of loss due to diseases and other biological factors.

Each plant retains its genetics and productive potential for several generations of multiplication. This characteristic is guaranteed as long as some basic precautions are taken, the main one being to keep a batch of plants for seed production isolated from commercial plantings with other varieties, otherwise it could lead to unwanted crossings and contaminate the offspring of these plants.

According to the researcher, these are the characteristics that make the BRS Noçoquém cultivar attractive to rural producers in Amazonas: high productivity and resistance to diseases, without reducing genetic variability.

Guaraná Genetic Improvement Program

The launch of BRS Noçoquém is the result of the Guaranazeiro Genetic Improvement Program, developed over four decades and which led to the launch of 18 clonal cultivars, reproduced through cuttings.

According to Embrapa Western Amazon researcher Firmino do Nascimento Filho, in the 1970s, practically all guarana trees in the municipality of Maués, the largest producer in the state, were contaminated by anthracnose, a disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum guaranicola, which attacks the leaves, causing atrophy. branches and prevents fruiting, often leading to the death of the guarana plant. “Embrapa, still at the beginning of its activities, had the mission of solving this problem, at which point the Guaranazeiro Genetic Improvement Program began, with more systematized studies on the culture”, reports Nascimento Filho.

Atroch explains that at the beginning of the breeding program, priority was given to developing clonal varieties, given the need to release materials resistant to anthracnose. “At that time, we faced an intense drop in production and productivity in the Amazonas guaranazais. There was an urgency to make genetic materials available with high productivity and resistance to anthracnose, which led Embrapa to focus on clonal materials,” he highlights. Once selected, they went on to network trials and validation in observation units with less time to release superior materials than if it were a population improvement program via progenies (seeds).

With the success of field evaluations, commercial clonal cultivars began to be launched in 1999. However, the adoption of these materials requires nursery infrastructure with controlled conditions that have high implementation costs. “Only the BRS Maués and BRS Amazonas cultivars were relatively adopted, today comprising around 30% of the planted area in the state”, he states.

Starting in the 2000s, the team of breeders at Embrapa Amazônia Oeste began a genetic improvement program to develop cultivars reproduced by seeds, which generated several promising materials for launch. The first is BRS Noçoquém, which is already registered and protected with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa).

In addition to BRS Noçoquém, other cultivars with these characteristics are in the development phase and are expected to be available in the coming years.

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