Agroforest Syst (2020) 94:1913–1927 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-020-00511-8 (0123456789().,-volV)( 0123456789().,-volV) Acrocomia aculeata fruits from three regions in Costa Rica: an assessment of biometric parameters, oil content and oil fatty acid composition to evaluate industrial potential Jose David Alfaro-Solı´s . Alexander Montoya-Arroyo . Vı´ctor M. Jime´nez . Elizabeth Arna´ez-Serrano . Jason Pe´rez . Walter Vetter . Jan Frank . Iris Lewandowski Received: 27 January 2020 / Accepted: 11 June 2020 / Published online: 23 June 2020 Ó The Author(s) 2020 Abstract Due to increased global demand for veg- climatic regions of Costa Rica. Fruits at the same etable oils, diversification of the supply chain with ripening stage were collected at three locations, and sustainable sources is necessary. Acrocomia aculeata biometric features, oil content, fatty acid composition has recently gained attention as a multi-purpose, of oils from kernels and pulp, as well as fiber sustainable crop for oil production. However, the composition of husks were determined. Biometric information necessary for effective selection of parameters showed high variability among the regions promising varieties for agricultural production is assessed. Moreover, oil content and relative propor- lacking. The aim of this study was to assess variability tions of unsaturated fatty acids were higher at the most in fruit morphology and oil composition of individual tropical location, whereas lauric acid content was Acrocomia aculeata plants growing wild in different lowest under these conditions, indicating a potential environmental effect on oil composition. Pulp oil content correlated positively with annual precipitation Jose David Alfaro-Solı´s and Alexander Montoya-Arroyo have contributed equally to the development of the manuscript. and relative humidity, but no clear relation to J. D. Alfaro-Solı´s Á E. Arna´ez-Serrano Á J. Pe´rez V. M. Jime´nez School of Biology, Instituto Tecnolo´gico de Costa Rica, CIGRAS/IIA, Universidad de Costa Rica, Cartago, Costa Rica San Pedro 2060, Costa Rica e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] E. Arna´ez-Serrano V. M. Jime´nez Á J. Frank e-mail: [email protected] University of Hohenheim, Food Security Center (791), J. Pe´rez 70599 Stuttgart, Germany e-mail: [email protected] W. Vetter A. Montoya-Arroyo Á J. Frank Institute of Food Chemistry (170b), University of Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Department of Food Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany Biofunctionality (140b), University of Hohenheim, e-mail: [email protected] 70599 Stuttgart, Germany e-mail: [email protected] I. Lewandowski (&) Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops J. Frank (340b), University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, e-mail: [email protected] 70599 Stuttgart, Germany e-mail: [email protected] 123 1914 Agroforest Syst (2020) 94:1913–1927 temperature was observed. The oil chemical compo- it is robust and adapts well to other environments, sition was similar to that reported for Elaeis guineen- including subtropical and semiarid conditions (Del sis, suggesting that Acrocomia aculeata from Costa Rı´o et al. 2016). Rica may be a suitable alternative for industrial The Acrocomia palm has additional characteristics applications currently based on African palm oil. relevant for its future cultivation as an oil crop, such as Analysis of husks as a coproduct revealed the possi- tolerance of long drought periods and nutrient-defi- bility of obtaining materials with high lignin and low cient soils. Moreover, it promotes recovery of water and ash contents that could be used as a solid marginal soils (Ce´sar et al. 2015) and, to date, there bioenergy source. In conclusion, Acrocomia aculeata are no reports of relevant diseases affecting wild oil is a promising alternative for industrial applications Acrocomia populations (Plath et al. 2016; Colombo currently based on African palm oil and byproducts of et al. 2018). In addition, it has been shown that its oil production could find additional use as a cultivation of Acrocomia in agroforestry systems renewable energy source. increases the productivity and yield of the co- cultivated crops (Moreira et al. 2018). Keywords Coyol palm Á Macauba palm Á Multi- Acrocomia has not yet been domesticated and purpose crop Á Fruit biometric parameters Á biometry, oil yield, and composition have only been Vegetable oil Á Fatty acid composition studied in wild genotypes in Brazil (Cardoso et al. 2017; Coelho et al. 2019), where large phenotypic variability has been associated with environmental conditions and genetic diversity (Abreu et al. 2012). Introduction The breeding of genetically improved plants with optimized height, increased productivity and drought Vegetable oil is an important raw material for food tolerance is one of the major directions in present production, but also for the manufacture of bio-based Acrocomia research (Cardoso et al. 2017; Colombo products, such as detergents, cosmetics, and biofuels et al. 2018). In studies from Brazil, it was found that (Montoya et al. 2016). For this reason, both veg- productivity—in terms of oil yield—is determined by etable oil demand and production have increased fruit size and oil content, which are in turn related to during the last decade and are expected to continue to environmental parameters (e.g. soil conditions, water rise in future (Colombo et al. 2018). Due to their high availability), as well as genetic variability (Ciconini yield potential and low production costs, oleaginous et al. 2013; Castro et al. 2017; Coelho et al. 2019). In palms are considered the most promising species for these studies, the best performance—in terms of vegetable oil production (Poetsh et al. 2012; Del Rı´o productivity, fruit characteristics and oil content— et al. 2016; Colombo et al. 2018). Among oleaginous were found in regions with higher precipitation and palms, Acrocomia aculeata may be a profitable and mild temperatures, both typical features of the Atlantic sustainable alternative for oil production (Colombo Rainforest (Castro et al. 2017). et al. 2018). Previous studies suggest the cultivation of Despite the economic potential of Acrocomia in this species in rural areas of Central and South Costa Rica, native populations have not been suffi- America has high industrial potential with socio- ciently characterized (Schex et al. 2018). Neither has economic and environmental advantages (Lopes et al. the potential effect of climatic/edaphic conditions on 2013; Plath et al. 2016). biometric parameters and their relation to oil content Acrocomia aculeata is a perennial, fruit-bearing and fatty acid composition—as observed in other palm belonging to the Arecaceae family. It extends oleaginous plants (Rached et al. 2017; Tous and throughout the Neotropical region, from Mexico to Romero 2017)—been investigated. However, the Argentina (Crocomo and Melo 1996; Plath et al. commercialization of Acrocomia production in Costa 2016), mainly in open pasture areas, in disturbed Rica requires the selection and breeding of the most forests and in association with crops (Barbosa- suitable genotypes for the specific location, which Evaristo et al. 2018). A. aculeata grows optimally in must be guided by knowledge of genotype and tropical and subtropical regions with high precipita- environment interactions. The aim of this study was tion and solar irradiation (Ce´sar et al. 2015). However, to contribute to this knowledge by investigating the 123 Agroforest Syst (2020) 94:1913–1927 1915 influence of fruit biometric parameters of the native to previous reports (Schex et al. 2018). Fully ripe fruits palm A. aculeata on oil content and composition under detach naturally from the bunch (Crocomo and Melo different climatic conditions in Costa Rica. 1996; Montoya et al. 2016) and display a brown exocarp and a yellow mesocarp (Schex et al. 2018; Lieb et al. 2019). Soil samples were taken at each Materials and methods location and analyzed for texture and chemical properties (Appendix 1). Plant material Biometric analysis Fruits were collected at the end of the harvest season between July and August 2018 from wild A. aculeata A randomized sample (n = 5), chosen blind from a palms located at three sites in Costa Rica: El Coyol, bucket, was taken from each location to assess Alajuela, Alajuela (N10°00010.000, W84°15014.500 and transversal and longitudinal diameter, and fresh and N10°00019.500, W84°14057.400, altitude 849 and dry weight of the different fruit structures (husk, pulp, 860 m.a.s.l., average annual temperature of 25 °C, shell and kernel; Fig. 2). For moisture determination, annual precipitation of 1750 mm), La Garita, Ala- fresh fruits were separated into the structures men- juela, Alajuela (N10°00011.700, W84°16013.700, altitude tioned above. They were dried separately in a forced- 840 m.a.s.l., average annual temperature of 22 °C, air oven at 60 °C for 72 h and moisture content was annual precipitation of 1940 mm) and La Palma, determined gravimetrically. Palmar, Puntarenas (N8°38041.600, W83°27033.700, alti- tude 16 m.a.s.l., average annual temperature of 28 °C, Sample pretreatment annual precipitation of 3500 mm) (Fig. 1, Table 1). Climatic data of each site are reported as long-term For lipid quantification and fatty acid profiling, eight historic average values and were obtained from fresh fruits from each location were randomly chosen, monitoring systems at Universidad de Costa Rica manually peeled, and pulp and kernel were immedi- and National Meteorology Institute (Instituto Meteo- ately frozen in liquid nitrogen to avoid degradation. rolo´gico Nacional, San Jose´, Costa Rica). One palm Samples were freeze-dried for 72 h under light from the regions La Palma and La Garita and two protection in a laboratory freeze-dryer (Alpha 1–2 palms from El Coyol were randomly chosen for fruit LD Christ, Osterode, Germany) at - 50 °C and collection. As is common practice for Acrocomia transported to Germany in vacuum-sealed polyethy- harvesting, completely ripe fresh fruits (20–70 accord- lene bags covered with aluminum foil.