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Relatório de pesquisa Cinderella fruits and cultural forests in Pacaya-Samiria, peruvian amazon 372 Relatório de Relatório de pesquisa pesquisa Cinderella fruits and Cinderella fruits and cultural forests in cultural forests in Pacaya-Samiria, Pacaya-Samiria, peruvian amazon Peruvian Amazon N I G E L S M I T H University of Flórida, Gainesville, USA R O D O L F O V A S Q U E Z Missouri Botanical Garden, USA W A L T E R W U S T Wust Ediciones, Lima, Peru 373 Smith, N. et al. Abstract CINDERELLA FRUITS AND CULTURAL FORESTS IN PACAYA- SAMIRIA, PERUVIAN AMAZON Tropical forests and associated disturbed habitats (successionary communities created by tree falls, landslides, shifting river chan- nels, and clearing by people) are orders of magnitude richer in species than temperate woodlands and consequently have pro- vided ample opportunities for plant domestication. Many crops domesticated in tropical forests are not only important sources of sustenance and income for locals but are also traded exten- sively in global markets. This is particularly so for the Amazon which has provided us with cacao, the source of chocolate and rubber, both utilized in virtually every country, as well as Brazil nut. Now açaí, a palm fruit native to Amazonia with high lev- els of antioxidants, has burst on the world stage in a variety of products ranging from fruit juice blends to ice cream and even shampoo. Tropical forests, including the Amazon, contain wild populations of many tropical crops, an important resource for further crop improvement because they are a reservoir for many valuable genes not found in the domesticated gene pool. Tropical forests are also a cornucopia for new crops. Several hundred wild and domesticated fruits are consumed in the Amazon, and those that have reached national and international markets represent only the tip of an iceberg. Here we focus on the importance of wild and cultivated fruits in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, a vast wetland at the confluence of the Marañón and Ucayali Riv- ers in the Peruvian Amazon. Keywords: Cultural forests, crop domestication, ethnobotany, non-timber forest products, crop genetic resources Resumo FRUTAS CINDERELA E FLORESTAS CULTURAIS EM PACAYA- SAMIRIA, AMAZÔNIA PERUANA Florestas tropicais e habitats perturbados associados a elas (comu- nidades sucessoras criadas por quedas de árvores, deslizamentos de terras, mudanças de canais dos rios, e desmatamento por ação humana) são mais ricas em espécies do que florestas temperadas 374 Amazônica 2 (2): 372-394, 2010 Relatório de pesquisa e, conseqüentemente, apresentam amplas oportunidades para a domesticação de plantas. Muitas plantas domesticadas nas flo- restas tropicais são não apenas importantes fontes de sustento e renda para a população local, mas também são largamente nego- ciadas em mercados globais. Isto é particularmente verdade para a Amazônia, que forneceu-nos o cacau, a fonte de chocolate, e a borracha, ambos utilizados em praticamente todos os países, bem como a castanha do Brasil. Agora, açaí, uma fruta de palmeira nativa da Amazônia, com altos níveis de antioxidantes, estourou no cenário mundial em uma variedade de produtos que vão desde o suco de frutas, passando pelo sorvete e até xampu. As florestas tropicais, incluindo a Amazônia, contem populações selvagens de muitas culturas tropicais, um recurso importante para a posterior melhoria de plantas cultivadas, porque elas são um reservatório de muitos genes importantes não encontradas no universo de genes domesticados. As florestas tropicais são também uma cornucópia para novas culturas. Várias centenas de frutas selvagens e domes- ticadas são consumidas na Amazônia, e aquelas que atingiram os mercados nacionais e internacionais representam apenas a ponta do iceberg. Aqui vamos enfocar a importância de frutas silvestres e cultivadas na Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria, uma vasta zona úmida na confluência dos rios Marañón e Ucayali na Amazônia peruana. Palavras-chave: Florestas culturais, domesticação de cultivares, etnobotânica, produtos florestais não-madeireiros, recursos gené- ticos vegetais. Resumen FRUTAS CINDERELA Y BOSQUES CULTURALES EN PACAYA- SAMIRIA, AMAZONÍA PERUANA Los bosques tropicales y hábitats alterados asociados con ellos (las comunidades sucesoras creadas por la caída de árboles, deslizamientos de tierra, cambios en los cauces de los ríos y la deforestación por los seres humanos) son más ricos en especies que los bosques templados y, por tanto, presentan amplia oportunidad para la domesticación de plantas. Muchas plantas domesticadas en los bosques tropicales no sólo son importantes fuentes de sustento e ingresos para la población local, sino también las más negociadas en los mercados mundiales. Esto es particularmente cierto en el Amazônica 2 (2): 372-394, 2010 375 Smith, N. et al. caso de la Amazonía, que nos ha proporcionado con el cacao, fuente de chocolate, y el caucho, que se utilizan en casi todos los países, así como la nuez de Brasil. Ahora, açaí, fruto de una palmera nativa de la Amazonía, con altos niveles de antioxidantes, irrumpió en la escena mundial en una variedad de productos que van desde jugos de frutas, helados e incluso a través del champú. Los bosques tropicales, incluyendo la Amazonía, contienen las poblaciones silvestres de muchas cosechas tropicales, un impor- tante recurso para nuevas mejoras de las plantas cultivadas, ya que son una reserva de numerosos genes importantes que no se en- cuentran en la población de los genes domesticados. Los bosques tropicales también son una cornucopia de nuevos cultivos. Varios cientos de frutas silvestres y domesticadas se comen en la Ama- zonía, y aquellos que han alcanzado los mercados nacionales e internacionales representan sólo la punta del iceberg. Aquí nos centramos en la importancia de las frutas silvestres y cultivadas en la Reserva Nacional Pacaya-Samiria, un extenso humedal en la confluencia de los ríos Marañón y Ucayali en la Amazonía peruana. Palabras claves: Bosques culturales, domesticación de cultivos, etnobotánica, productos forestales no maderables, recursos fito- genéticos. 376 Amazônica 2 (2): 372-394, 2010 Figura 1 - Aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa) palms along the margins of lake on the Amazon floodplain opposite Tamshiyacu, Loreto, Peru 06-18-2006. “The country of the Amazon is the For example, the great Russian plant garden of the world, possessing ev- geneticist and plant explorer, Nikolai ery requisite for a vast population Vavilov, left Amazonia a blank when and an extended commerce.” he drew up his global map of plant do- These words, written by an American mestication centers in the early twen- naturalist in the mid-19th century (Ed- tieth century (Vavilov, 1949, 1997). In wards, 1847) could not have captured the Americas, Vavilov considered only the potential of the biological riches the Andes and Central America of suf- of the Amazon any better. William Ed- ficient importance as a source of crop wards in his wandering up the Amazon plants to warrant designation as center. was impressed, like the many explor- Most publications on crop domestica- ers that preceded him in the 16th and tion have generally followed suit. th 17 centuries, with the great diversity Amazonia as a major region for crop of plant and animal life that abounds domestication has been overlooked in the region. for several regions. First, discussion on Although many naturalists and explor- plant domestication has generally fo- ers were enthralled with the rich array cused on cereal food crops, rather than of plants and wildlife in the Ama- root or tree crops. Second, far more ar- zon, and some, such as Henry Walter chaeological work has been undertak- Bates (1863) expressed concern about en in temperate and subtropical areas the wanton destruction of natural re- that the tropics. Third, plant remains sources in Amazonia, the region has are better preserved in the drier areas, generally been considered a backwater as opposed to the humid tropics were with respect to crop domestication. organic matter decomposes quickly. Amazônica 2 (2): 372-394, 2010 377 Smith, N. et al. When one considers tree crops, par- of the açaí palm (mainly Euterpe olera- ticularly fruits and nuts, Amazonia has cea, but also some Euterpe precatoria) been a major center of plant domesti- spurred yet another boom in Amazo- cation as recognized by the “father” of nia based on a native plant. Juice of the ethnobotany, Richard Evans Schultes gracious açaí palm has long been con- at Harvard (Schultes, 1990). Starting sumed in the region, but when market- in the 18th century, cacao was planted ers began touting the antioxidant vir- along the Amazon and in the Ama- tues of açaí juice exports to other parts zon estuary at the behest of the Por- of Brazil and abroad triggered wide- tuguese crown and was an important spread planting of the water-loving export commodity during the colonial palm by small and large landholders era. As the British Empire spread into alike, especially in the Amazon estuary fever-ridden jungles in the Old World, (Brondízio, 1999, 2008; Brondizio et colonial masters were looking for ways al., 1994). River dwellers also manage to treat malaria and other maladies. wild stands of the palm to optimize Cinchona bark (source of quinine) production of both fruit and heart-of- was sought out in the eastern slopes palm. As with many economic plants of the Andes, on the tip of indigenous in Amazonia, it can be hard to draw peoples. The British in India invented the line between truly wild stands and gin and tonic (which is flavored with feral or managed populations. quinine) to help combat malaria and Cacao, cinchona, rubber, Brazil nuts, to provide some welcome grog after and açaí are the best known crops do- the afternoon tea. The rubber boom mesticated in the Amazon, but doz- swept Amazonia in the latter half of ens of fruit and nut trees have been the 19th century and first decade of recruited in the region, some of which the 20th century as the bicycle craze in are only know emerging from obscuri- Europe followed by the launching of ty because of the pull of extra-regional automobile production in the United markets.