Biometric characterization of fruits and seeds baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) in eastern Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize biometrically the fruits and seeds of baru and to correlate them, in order to obtain information on the variation of the biometric features in two consecutive years. Length, width, thickness, fresh weight of fruit and seed, fruit volume and volume index of the were analyzed, considering 100 fresh fruits and 100 baru seeds, collected from ten Dipteryx alata trees, in eastern Mato Grosso. Biometric characteristics were analyzed using frequency distribution, by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficient (rS) and significance level by t-test. Considering all the parameters evaluated three fruit classes were obtained, with variations between classes and years. For fresh fruit mass, 32% fruit weigh varied between 33.6 and 37.9 g for the year 2012, and 36% of the fruit weighed varied between 25.1 to 29.4 g, in 2013 The fruits and seeds of baru showed great biometric variations, especially in relation to the volume and weight of the fruits, and to fresh weight and volume index of the seeds. Significant differences between the years were observed, with trends from larger fruits and seeds in 2012, and lower in 2013. Climatic conditions can promote the expression of biometric characters.