Peach palm - World Agroforestry Centre

3 6 Peach palm. Bactris gasipaes Kunth
7 Genetic improvement strategies
Genetic improvement programmes for cultivated peach palm are still in the early
stages of development. Fortunately, pre-Columbian Native Amerindians
improved peach palm considerably, producing a diverse landrace complex that
provides valuable germplasm for contemporary improvement programmes.
National and international organizations have funded germplasm collections of
several landraces and established germplasm banks in different countries (see
Section 6.2). These banks have served as base populations for mass selection,
breeding and applied genetics research. Costa Rica, followed by Brazil, have the
most advanced improvement programmes. Both countries have extensive
germplasm banks and enterprises actively involved in the commercialization of
peach palm’s products.
Table 7.Tentative crop ideotype for fruit production
• Stems
* dwarf with low annual height increment: 10 leaves/year
* net assimilation rate high
• Basal offshoots
* multiple offshoots developing into 5-12 stems after 12 months
• Racemes, fruits and seeds
* precocious maturity: 15/year, each >8 kg (total >120 kg/year)
* fruit weight >85% of total raceme weight
* fruits >100 per raceme (more fruits per raceme if fruits are small)
* fruit weight >50 g
* fruit exocarp waxy, no fibres or striations, red colour
* seeds small, ~2 g, and separate easily from mesocarp
• Mesocarp composition
* water content low: 14%
* carbohydrate (starch) content high >60%
* fibre content low, dry weight