Vegetative rescue potential of Brazil nut through epicormic shoots on detached branches

ABSTRACT Obtaining juvenile material may favor the clonal propagation of Brazil nut, Bertholletia excelsa. We aimed to assess the emission of epicormic shoots on detached branches of Brazil nut trees as a function of the mother tree and branch diameter, in order to provide juvenile material for use in clonal multiplication. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 6 (mother trees) x 3 (stem diameter: < 20 20-40 and 40-80 mm) factorial design, with four replicates. Every five days the number of shoots emitted was counted and the sprouting speed index and average sprouting time were calculated. The number of epicormic shoots and the sprouting speed index were dependent on the interaction between mother tree and branch diameter. Branches with larger diameter (20-40 and 40-80 mm) showed higher potential for obtaining propagules for use in Brazil nut clonal multiplication (cutting, grafting and in vitro cultivation).