Identification of the time for collecting the oil-resin of copaiba (Copaifera spp.) in the city of Moju, Pará state, Brazil

Abstract

Identification of the time for collecting the oil-resin of copaiba (Copaifera spp.) in the city of Moju, Pará state, Brazil. In the process of extraction of the oil-resin of copaiba, it is not considered the most appropriate time of the year. Normally, the collector extracts it at any time not taking into consideration the climatic factors as the pluviometric precipitation, which in the Amazon region is directly related with the production of some cultures. The chemical substance presence in one determined species can be on the climatic factors. Considering the presence of these chemical composites in the species of copaiba and the lack of information in the literature consulted on the indicated time more for extraction of the oil, the present work had as objective to identify the most adequate time for collecting the oil for the city of Moju, Para State, Brazil, through the quantification and correlated qualification of the oil with the pluviometric precipitation. Oil-resin of Copaifera duckei, Copaifera martii and Copaifera reticulata were collected in the Experimental Field of the Moju of the Embrapa Eastern Amazon, located in the city of Moju, Para State, Brazil. The period of collection began in September 2003 and finished in August of 2004. In the months of September and October, the biggest productions of oil for the species C. reticulata and of September had occurred in November for the species C. duckei, coinciding with the period of lesser pluviometric precipitation. The lesser oil production occurred in the period from January to May 2004, mainly for species C. reticulata and C. duckei, coinciding with the rainiest period. Species C. duckei and C. reticulate have produced, respectively, an oil resin of liquid aspect and intense and yellow red coloration. While the C. martii produced a dense oil-resin of brown coloration. The concentration of the sesquiterpene, β-bisabolene in the C. duckei was superior to the β-caryophyllene one in every month of the year, occurring variations in the percentages of independent substances of the period of rains. In the C. reticulata, the concentration of the sesquiterpene, β-caryophyllene were superior to the independent β-bisabolene one during the period of pluviometric precipitation. The sesquiterpene α-caryophyllene in the C. martii was superior to the Δ-cadinene, occurring variations in the percentages of independent substances of the period of rains.