Manejo, extrativismo e análise morfológica da fava-danta (Dimorphandra mollis Benth.) na região do Norte de Minas Gerais

Abstract

The uncontrolled exploitation of tropical ecosystems, mainly the Cerrado, has caused a reduction of several medicinal plant species causing damage to the entire population because many drugs that could be discovered are lost. The lack of information, not only of professionals but also local population over the extraction, has hindered the use of effective strategies for management and conservation of the Cerrado species. The fava-d'anta is one of those native species that have economic potential because of rutin, which is used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Through the ethnobotanical study, constant and systematic observation of the phenomena and their characteristics and empirical experiments of these resources, we mayconduct multidisciplinary work for the establishment of priorities forsustainable management. The aim of this work was to analyze aspects of fava-d'anta collection activity by extractivists and traders. Structuredinterviews with 61 extractivists and traders were conducted in the cities ofBrasilia de Minas, Coração de Jesus, Japonvar, Francisco Dumont,Luislândia, Jequitaí, São Francisco and the communities of Olhos dágua and Abóboras in the municipality of Montes Claros. It was found that the collection of fava-d'anta is an alternative for rural workers for their income is lower than the traders due to several factors. The season of the greatest production is during the months of April to July and the biannuality of the fruit leads to a change in the extraction place. It was observed the participation of the whole family in this activity and that the greatest difficulty for collectors is the process of drying and collection and for the traders, the greatest difficulty is to sell it. The use of the sickle, the knife and other instruments is common and the planting or seedling production has not been the usual practice of the respondents.