Geographical variation and quality assessment of Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville within Brazil

• Published in: Genetic resources and crop evolution Vol. 59; no. 7; pp. 1349 - 1356
• Main Authors: Corrêa, Valéria S, Cerdeira, Antonio L, Fachin, Ana L, Bertoni, Bianca W, Pereira, Paulo S, França, Suzelei C, Momm, Henrique G, Moraes, Rita M, Pereira, Ana M. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.10.2012; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Abortion; Agriculture; Bark; Biological properties; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Blood vessels; Data collection; Disruption; fruits; Genetic diversity; genetic variation; geographical variation; Germplasm; Insects; Life Sciences; medicine; Phenols; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Populations; Predation; Quality assessment; Quality control; Research Article; Seeds; Stryphnodendron; Stryphnodendron adstringens; Tannins; tree mortality; Trees; wood; Brazil; Barbatimão; conservation; Cerrado; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0925-9864; 1573-5109
• DOI: 10.1007/s10722-011-9761-y

Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville belongs to the Mimosoideae subfamily of the Leguminosae, and is also known as Barbatimão. It is extensively used in the traditional Brazilian medicine for its biological properties, which are attributed to the tannin fraction found in the bark. To maintain the genetic diversity of S. adstringens we have accessed twelve populations to establish an ex situ germplasm bank for future collections of seeds. Records on geographical boundary of occurrence, fruits, seeds and levels of extractions were gathered as species descriptors. Aiming the tannin fractions, we have noticed extraction of the bark on 46% of the evaluated trees as a practice that partially removes the bark disrupting wood vessels and causing premature death of the trees. In addition, the quality of seeds was low due to the high incidence of insect attack and immature abortion which compromises the species reproductive pattern. The geographical variation on the tannin content, seed production, predation and abortion was studied in twelve distinct populations located in three different states São Paulo, Goiás and Minas Gerais. Populations with the highest content of phenols and tannins were Campo Alegre and Luislândia. Our data demonstrated that there is a need for conservation of S. adstringens. Plants of the population located in Campo Alegre and Luislândia were considered elite for non-timber products of S. adstringens.