Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) Breeding

Abstract

Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.), member of the Lecythidaceae family, is a native monotypic tree species which occurs in the Amazon Region and is important for its economic, social and environmental values. The tree bears fruit containing seeds known as Brazil nuts, Para nuts or Amazon nuts. Most production comes from the natural forest with the yield of fruits and seeds highly variable from year to year. Brazil nut cultivation has yet to reach significant levels, due to propagation problems and to the lengthy period of time before the tree reaches maximum production levels; in addition, until now low productivity has been experienced in cultivated trees. Studies to increase overall production, precocious production and improvement of nut qualities are prime objectives of Brazil nut cultivation. For a perennial species, predominantly cross-pollinating and dependent upon specific pollinators, information about genetic diversity is the first step on which to base future programs of improvement. Genetic studies of molecular markers are contributing to basic knowledge of the tree and to its conservation, which are important to guarantee the economic value and perpetuation of the species.