Behavior of accessions of Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen (Amaranthaceae) in Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ

Abstract

Among the 21 species of Pfaffia native of Brazil, P. glomerata also known as aconito, fafia, anador and Brazilian ginseng, is a medicinal species, intensely explored on a predatory way, without any concern with its conservation. For that reason, the need for development of way for growing it commercially becomes evident. The aim of this work was to evaluate the productivity of accesses of Pfaffia glomerata cultivated in Campos dos Goytacazes-Rio de Janeiro. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, with four repetitions and 23 accesses of P. glomerata (collected on Southern, Southwestern, Northeastern and Middle-Western Brazil) as the treatments, and one plant as the experimental unit. The material was collected 13 months after the culture was established in the field. The following parameters were used for comparisons: leaf and root fresh weights, number of leaves, leaf and root dry weights, harvest rates and content of β-ecdysone. All the variables studied showed significant differences among the accessions, showing a large genetic variability in the collection. The β-ecdysone contents ranged between 0.15% and 0,47%, and the contents in most accessions were higher or similar to that ones found in products sold in the Brazilian market. Some accessions showed both high root dry weights and high concentrations of β-ecdysone. So, these accessions (NdS, SdRo and Nat) can be advantageously cultivated at the Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, area.