Cupuaasu

Related species
Description and phenology
Distribution, abundance and ecology
Uses and economic potential
Chemical-nutritive and industrial analysis
Collection methods and yields
Propagation and cultivation methods
Research contacts
Commercial contacts

Giorgini A. Venturieri

Family: Sterculiaceae

Species: Theobroma grandiflorum (Willdenow ex Sprengel) Schumann

Synonyms: none current, as Cuatrecasas' (1964) revision is definitive; previously Bubroma grandiflorum, Guazuma grandiflora and T. macrantha.

Common names: cupuaçu, cupuassu, cupú-assú, copuassú, cupai-açú, cupu, cupu do matto, pupu, pupuaçu, cacau cupuaçu (Brazil); bacau (Colombia); cupuazur (Peru).

Related species

The genus Theobroma has numerous useful species, the most important being cocoa (T. cacao), the basis for the chocolate industry, which was domesticated in Central America although indigenous to Amazônia (Purseglove 1968, Cope 1976). T. bicolor appears to have been at least semi-domesticated in Peru and adjacent Ecuador and Colombia where its roasted seeds are considered a delicacy (FAO 1986). All Theobroma have edible pulp around the seeds and at least five serve to prepare chocolate from the seed.

Description and phenology

The following description is condensed from Cavalcante (1988) and Cuatrecasas (1964).

The mature cupuassu tree may attain 20 m in height and 45 cm diameter at breast height. The cultivated plant, grown in more open conditions, generally attains only 6 to 8 m in height, but may have a crown 7 m or more in diameter. The trunk is orthotropic and its pseudo-apical growth occurs in spurts of 0.5 to 1.5 m, at which point it produces a spiral of three plagiotropic branches, giving it a typically pagoda-like architecture. The short-petioled leathery leaves are reddish when young, maturing to dark green, attaining 25-35 cm in length by 1015 cm in width.

The axillar or extra-axillar inflorescences have 1 to 5 flowers and are only produced on the plagiotropic branches. The flowers are the largest in the genus, with 5 triangular sepals and 5 reddish petals forming the corolla. The 5 stamens each have 6 anthers and are covered by the recurved petal-hoods; the obovoid ovary has 5 locules. The fruit are also the largest in the genus, varying from, 100 to 5,000 g and averaging 1,200 g. They have a short, thick peduncle that abscises at maturity and is covered with a brown tomentum. The smooth, hard, woody epicarp is about 2-4 mm thick, the "mesoendocarp" (Cuatrecasas' term) is thick (5-7 mm), soft and fleshy at maturity. There are 30-50 seeds, each surrounded by a creamy whitish to yellowish, juicy, fibrous aril. Each seed is ovoid to ellipsoid-ovoid, 2-3 cm long by 2-2.5 cm wide and 1-1.5 cm thick.

Falcão & Lleras (1983) studied 7-year-old plants near Manaus, Amazonas and found that they produced an average of 3,500 flowers per year, most of which are produced during the dry season (July-October in Manaus). Less than one percent of these produce mature fruit, unless heavily fertilized (C.H. Muller, CPATU, pers. com.), in which case about two percent may mature. Yields are therefore low. The main harvest is from January to May in Manaus.

Distribution, abundance and ecology

Cupuassu's natural distribution is restricted to high and low forest on the south side of the Amazon River, east of the Tapajós River (a major southern tributary), including the south and south-east of Pará, state and the "pre-Amazonian" region of Maranhão state, Brazil (Ducke 1953), which is its probable center of origin (Cuatrecasas 1964). Today it is found throughout the Amazon basin, generally as a garden tree or escape (Cavalcante 1988), as well as at numerous research centers in other parts of Brazil and Latin America and occasionally in home gardens in humid tropic climates in Brazil and other areas. Because of the prevalence of witch's broom disease (Crinipellis perniciosa) (see below) it has generally not been taken to other cacao-producing regions of the world.

Cupuassu is locally abundant in its natural distribution (Venturieri et al. 1984), although Cuatrecasas (1964) reports it as being scarce throughout this region. It is possible that local abundance is due to human influences, as Clement (1988) has defined it as a cultivated species, probably since pre-Colombian times. Ducke (1946) explains that wild and cultivated cupuassu are indistinguishable except for growth habit, which is probably an ecophysiological response to respective ecosystems.

In its natural distribution, the cupuassu is restricted to upland clay soils of varying texture (oxisols and ultisols), although it has adapted well to the high flood-plain soils (humic gleys). In its natural habitat it is a lower to middle canopy species, occasionally reaching the upper canopy. Consequently it develops well in shady environments and is considered to be shade tolerant. Diniz et al. (1980) describe the climatic conditions that prevail in its natural and cultivated distribution: average yearly temperature from 24 to 28°C; average yearly rainfall from 1,900 to 3,100 mm, generally with a 2-6 month dry season; average humidity from 64-93%.

Uses and economic potential

The cupuassu is one of Amazônia's most popular fruit species, commanding excellent prices during its harvest season. It: is starting to develop a market outside of Amazônia, which is supplied by frozen pulp obtained in Belém, or Manaus. Calzavara et al. (1984) mention the growing industrial importance of cupuassu in the Belém, market and give a decade's worth of data, unfortunately prior to the recent enthusiasm for the species. A few industries are actively preparing several cupuassu products and commercializing them in Amazônia, and exporting them to southern Brazil, Europe and the US. This is a new activity, with less than a decade of active processing and commercialization. Both the pulp and the seed are potentially important for developing industrial products. Calzavara et al. (1984) present 61 recipes for using cupuassu in drinks, pastries, sweets, desserts, and even in pizza!

Chemical-nutritive and industrial analysis

Principal use
Secondary uses

Fruit components vary considerably with size, provenance, harvest period and separation methods. Table 1 presents several data sets. Manually extracted pulp (which generally means a housewife with a pair of scissors) is preferred by most consumers because this leaves chunks of pulp that give texture to dishes made from cupuassu. Mechanical separators have been adapted for use with cupuassu and are generally more efficient than the manual method (Table 1). Gelar S.A., of Belém, obtains 23% pulp and 19.4% seed from their machinery (Calzavara et al. 1984).

Barbosa et al. (1979), Chaar (1980), Oliveira (1981) and IBGE (1981) analyzed the pulp for a variety of factors of interest in food technology (Table 2). Nutritional value is low; even the vitamin C is not at nutritionally interesting levels, although the pulp does supply energy (68 cal/100 g) (FAO 1986).

Chaar (1980) analyzed the centesimal composition of the cupuassu seed; Chaar (1980), Silva (1988) and Vasconcelos et al. (1975) analyzed the fatty acid composition of the seed oil; and Silva (1988) and Vasconcelos et al. (1975) analyzed its physical and chemical constants. In Table 3 these data are contrasted with those from the cocoa. Silva (1988) found traces or small amounts of myristic, palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, linolenic, galadoleic and beenic acids in his sample, probably because of better equipment and a more complete standard set.

Table 1. Variation in cupuassu fresh fruit size and components from several sources. [pulp extracted manually (*) or mechanically (**)]

Table 2. Physical-chemical analysis of cupuassu pulp.

The small number of analyses available limits our understanding of the genetic variability from which to select plants that best meet industrial requirements. The cupuassu, however, is currently receiving considerable research attention and it is expected that this will rapidly provide a variety of new data, including data for the plant breeder to use in selecting new clones or mass-selected populations.

Table 3. (A) Centesimal composition of the cupuassu and cocoa seed

Table 3.(B) fatty acid composition

Table 3.(C) physical-chemical constants of their al-chemical constants of their oil.

* Chaar 1980
** Leung & Flores 1961
*** Silva 1988
**** Vasconcelos et al. 1975.