Agrometeorological models to forecast açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) yield in the Eastern Amazon

BACKGROUND

The increasing demand in Brazil and the world for products derived from the açaí palm (Euterpe oleracea Mart) has generated changes in its production process, principally due to the necessity of maintaining yield in situations of seasonality and climate fluctuation. The objective of this study was to estimate açaí fruit yield in irrigated system (IRRS) and rainfed system or unirrigated (RAINF) using agrometeorological models in response to climate conditions in the eastern Amazon. Modeling was done using multiple linear regression using the 'stepwise forward' method of variable selection. Monthly air temperature (T) values, solar radiation (SR), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), precipitation + irrigation (P + I), and potential evapotranspiration (PET) in six phenological phases were correlated with yield. The thermal necessity value was calculated through the sum of accumulated degree days (ADD) up to the formation of fruit bunch, as well as the time necessary for initial leaf development, using a base temperature of 10 °C.

RESULTS

The most important meteorological variables were T, SR, and VPD for IRRS, and for RAINF water stress had the greatest effect. The accuracy of the agrometeorological models, using maximum values for mean absolute percent error (MAPE), was 0.01 in the IRRS and 1.12 in the RAINF.

CONCLUSION

Using these models yield was predicted approximately 6 to 9 months before the harvest, in April, May, November, and December in the IRRS, and January, May, June, August, September, and November for the RAINF. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hydraulic architecture and photoinhibition influence spatial distribution of the arborescent palm Euterpe edulis in subtropical forests

Physiological characteristics of saplings can be considered one of the most basic constraints on species distribution. The shade-tolerant arborescent palm Euterpe edulis Mart. is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. At a local scale, saplings of this species growing in native forests are absent in gaps. We tested the hypothesis whether sensitivity to photoinhibition or hydraulic architecture constrains the distribution of E. edulis saplings in sun-exposed forest environments. Using shade houses and field studies, we evaluated growth, survival, hydraulic traits and the susceptibility of Photosystem II to photoinhibition in E. edulis saplings under different growth irradiances. Survival rates in exposed sites in the field were very low (a median of 7%). All saplings exhibited photoinhibition when exposed to high radiation levels, but acclimation to a high radiation environment increased the rate of recovery. Petiole hydraulic conductivity was similar across treatments regardless of whether it was expressed per petiole cross-sectional area or per leaf area. At the plant level, investment in conductive tissues relative to leaf area (Huber values) increased with increasing irradiance. Under high irradiance conditions, plants experienced leaf water potentials close to the turgor-loss point, and leaf hydraulic conductance decreased by 79% relative to its maximum value. Euterpe edulis saplings were able to adjust their photosynthetic traits to different irradiance conditions, whereas hydraulic characteristics at the leaf level did not change across irradiance treatments. Our results indicate that uncoupling between water demand and supply to leaves apparently associated with high resistances to water flow at leaf insertion points, in addition to small stems with low water storage capacity, weak stomatal control and high vulnerability of leaves to hydraulic dysfunction, are the main ecophysiological constraints that prevent the growth and survival of E. edulis saplings in gaps in the native forest where native lianas and bamboos show aggressive growth.