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Cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum), also spelled cupuassu, cupuazú, cupu assu, and copoasu, is a tropical rainforest tree related to cacao. Common throughout the Amazon basin, it is widely cultivated in the jungles of Colombia, Bolivia and Peru and in the north of Brazil, with the largest production in Pará, followed by Amazonas, Rondônia and Acre. The pulp of the Cupuacu fruit is widely consumed throughout Central and South America, and is used to make ice creams, snack bars, and other value added products. The pulp contains high levels of vitamin C and polyphenols, and has been shown to decrease blood sugar levels after being consumed.

Plant

Cupuaçu trees usually range from 5-15 m in height, though some can reach 20 m. They have brown bark, and the leaves range from 25–35 cm long and 6–10 cm across, with 9 or 10 pairs of veins. As they mature, the leaves change from pink-tinted to green, and eventually they begin bearing fruit.

Fruit

Cupuaçu fruits are oblong, brown, and fuzzy, 20 cm long, 1–2 kg in weight, and covered with a thick 4–7 mm, hard exocarp.

Cupuacu is generally harvested from the ground once they have naturally fallen from the tree. It can be difficult to determine peak ripeness because there is no noticeable external color change in the fruit. However studies have shown that in Western Colombian Amazon conditions, fruits reach full maturity within 117 days after fruit set.

pulp contains a good source of vitamin C and polyphenols

Seeds are rich in fats.

Butter extracted from seeds has a lower melting point than T. cacao, so is generally not used as an additive in chocolate making

Selling cupuacu fruits has high economic potential. There is also a market for value added products made with cupuasu pulp, including ice creams, snack bars, and juices.

A study done by Venturiari et, al.,2010, reported that Cupuacu was the most expensive exotic fruit in Amazonia in the 1980's, with a demand that was greater than the supply.

Flower

Flowers of Cupuacu are structurally complex.

Requires pollination from biotic vectors.

Majority of cupuacu trees are self incompatible.

Reported pollinators include: chrysomelid weevils, and stingless bees.

Pollination can be effected by environmental conditions. Pollinators are unable to fly between flowers in heavy rains.

Small percentage of flowers will actually grow into mature fruits (2/3 of flowers remain un pollinated). This is because the tree is incapable of expending the nutrients required for high numbers of pods. Many fruits are aborted after pollination.

Yields are low and unpredictable compared to other fruits. This could be related to poor levels of pollination.

Pests and Diseases

Witches Broom (Moniliophthora perniciosa)is the most prominent disease that effects Cupuacu trees. It impacts the entire tree and can result in significant loss of yields, as well as tree death if left untreated. Regular pruning is reccomended to reduce the severity of this disease in Cupuacu plantings.

Cultivation practices

Cupuacu is most commonly propagated from seed, however the use of grafting and rooted cuttings are also used.

Cupuacu trees are often incorporated in agroforestry systems throughout the Amazon due to their high tolerance of infertile soils, which are predominate in the Amazon region.

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