A produção de anonáceas no Brasil

Abstract

The Annonaceae family comprehends a group of plants that has been cultivated in many parts of the world, mainly by producing fruits of great commercial interest. Among its most prominent members are the cherimoya (Annona cherimola), sugar apple (A. squamosa), atemoya (hybrid of both), and soursop (A. muricata). In Brazil, due to its tropical climate throughout most of its territory, the cherimoya has been less cultivated because of its requirement for lower temperatures. In contrast, other species are cultivated in different regions of the country to meet the demand of the markets for fresh (sugar apple and atemoya) and processed (soursop) fruits. However, the interest in this group of plants is more far-reaching considering that numerous studies show that secondary compounds obtained from various Annonaceae has pesticide and anti-tumour activity. This study aims to present the panorama of the annonaceus production in Brazil, focusing on the main species grown in different regions of the country. For such, in the year 2012 were surveyed the production data and main technologies used to crop these species. The results demonstrate a vigorous growth in the total area of cultivation and a reasonable use of modern technologies for the three species studied. Link also to an expansion of cultivation in all regions of Brazil, mainly in the Northeast.