MACAW PALM AND INTERCROPPING: A SUITABLE CROPPING OPTION?

Macaw palms (Acrocomia spp.) are oil-bearing palms that gained commercial interest due to their tremendous bioeconomic potential, offering various uses (food, feed, fiber, and medicine), grow in a wide range of environments and are seen as a sustainable alternative to the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). Oils from the fruit pulp and kernel have a high nutritive value, but are also sources of biofuels. It appears that these species have a great potential for integration into silvopastoral and agrosilvocultural systems. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) if macaw palm is suitable for agroforestry, (ii) which spacing of the palm trees guarantees the best light conditions for such systems. Microclimate and photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) interception of A. aculeata were measured in three systems (alley cropped with coffee, a silvopastoral system and a sole stand) in the Zona de Mata region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Isotope discrimination was used as an indicator for water stress. The measured δ¹³C values of coffee under shade trees or macaw palms were around the usual ‑28‰ for C3 plants, but under full sun, coffee’s δ¹³C ranged between ‑26 and ‑27‰, indicating slight water stress. Air temperature, relative humidity and soil temperature fluctuations were lower in the intercropped plots than in the full sun coffee plots. The maximum PAR increased with spacing from 540 to 1333 μmol m^-2s^-1 in the 5 m by 4 m and 7 m by 4 m plot, respectively, allowing to grow other crops in between. Macaw palm coffee intercropping and macaw palm silvopastoral systems can be considered a viable mitigation option for regions with climate change impact, as it provides a prolonged harvesting window and a more diversified income for farmers. The integration of macaw palm lots into pasture land guarantees the establishment of C4 grasses while providing shade areas for cattle—a win-win situation for cattle raising without compromising macaw palm growth.