BIOMETRY AND NON-DESTRUCTIVE ALLOMETRIC MODEL FOR ESTIMATING BABASSU (Attalea speciosa) FRUIT VOLUME AND DENSITIES

• Autor(a) principal: Vanderlei, Renato Soares
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Outros Autores: Silva, José Vieira, Moura, Flávia de Barros Prado
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Ouricuri (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://www.revistas.uneb.br/index.php/ouricuri/article/view/7041
• topic: Allometry; Fruit Shape; Ellipsoid Fruits.

Biometric data of fruits, such as volume and density, can be applied for different ecological and economic purposes. Non-destructive allometric models based on morphometric dimensions can be more accurate and practical in field conditions than destructive methods used in traditional growth curves. Babassu is a Brazilian native palm tree with wide distribution whose fruits are of high importance for socioeconomic and cultural purposes, in addition to having high potential for biodiesel production. The objectives of this work were to analyse morphometric and biometrically the babassu fruits and create a non-destructive allometric model to estimate their volumes and densities from their dimensions. Weight, polar and longitudinal diameters, volume and density were measured in 156 fruits. The dimensions were applied in the formula to estimate the volume of an ellipsoid object, which matches the shape of the babassu fruit. The non-destructive allometric model was created by calculating a correction factor to adjust the precision of the formula. Our model improved the accuracy of volumes and densities calculated by 24%. Strong correlations were also found between the morphometric and biometric parameters. Therefore, this allometric model can be used to assist in selecting the most suitable fruits to improve economic, propagation and conservation studies.