Techniques for the Cultivation of ‘Mamacadela’ (Brosimum Gaudichaudii Tréc.Moraceae) for the Extraction of Furanocoumarins from the Roots

Brosimum gaudichaudii is a common plant of Cerrado, which is of pharmaceutical interest owing to the high accumulation of furanocoumarins in the bark of the roots. The production chain is based on extractivism, which exerts a considerable ecological pressure. In this paper, a technique for its cultivation under garden conditions has been presented. Seeds were made to germinate, and the seedlings were cultivated in 1, 45 m deep PVC tubes filled with Cerrado soil. After nine years, the plants started producing flowers and fruits. The concentration of furanocoumarins was considerably high in the cultivated plants. Five plants were sampled for morphological description and chemical analysis. Root cuttings were obtained. After six months of observation, more than 70% of the cuttings had emitted shoots and leaves. The cultivation in PVC tubes is a suitable method for harvesting the roots, and it is easy to carry out vegetative propagation of this plant by root cuttings.