Conservation of the genetic resources of mangaba, genipap, and guavaberry, native fruit species, of the Northeastern region of Brazil

Abstract

The conservation of the genetic resources of native fruit trees, carried out at Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, encompasses three forms of conservation: genebanks, the maintenance of Atlantic Forest remnants, and the protection of the way of life of traditional communities, Indigenous Peoples, and family farmers. The objective of this work was to document and analyze the actions of Embrapa for the ex-situ, in-situ, and on-farm conservation of the genetic resources of three important species of native fruit trees of the Northeastern region of Brazil - mangaba, genipap, and guavaberry. These actions aimed the use of these fruits and the mitigation of biodiversity loss in the Atlantic Forest, aggravated in the context of climate emergencies. These actions have contributed to the conservation of genebanks and to the maintenance of areas and their forest cover, with an impact on the reduction of problems arising from climate change. Other contributions include the development of sustainable production systems and the subsidy of public policies that aim to guarantee the conservation of territories, natural resources, and their use by communities.