Clement, C.R.; Manshardt, R.M.; DeFrank, J.; Cavaletto, C.G.; Nagai, N.Y. 1996. Introduction of pejibaye for heart-of-palm in Hawaii. HortScience, 31(5): 765-768.
Abstract: The pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes, Palmae) is being evaluated in Hawaii as a source of fresh heart-of-palm. Germplasm from the Benjamin Constant population of the Putumayo landrace was evaluated at three densities (3333 plants/hectare; 5000 pl/ha, the commercial density in Costa Rica; 6666 pl/ha) at one site and at 5000 pl/ha at two additional sites. Harvest started at 15 months after planting at the best site, and four months later 24% of the plants had been harvested. Mean percent harvest, and heart-of-palm diameters, lengths, and weights were unaffected by density. Density effects on yield were significant, and yields were comparable to those reported from Costa Rica. At the site with intermediate growth rate, harvest started at 16 months, and three months later 24% of the plants had been harvested. At the poorest site, harvest started at 18 months, with only 1% of the plants contributing. There were significant progeny differences in % harvest at the two better sites, with clear GxE interactions. The precocious progenies produced average size hearts, but guaranteed faster returns. Yields at 18 months and weed control were evaluated at a fourth site in response to the herbicides oryzalin, oxyfluorfen, paraquat and woven black polypropylene mat. Percent harvest was highest with polypropylene mat (80%), followed by oxyfluorfen (50%), paraquat (20%), oryzalin (12.5%). Estimated palm heart yields (3731 plants/ha), corrected for % harvest, were highest with polypropylene mat, followed by oxyfluorfen. Paraquat severely inhibited growth of the suckers that assure future harvests. Yields at 18 months and weed control were evaluated in response to Arachis pintoi, Desmodium ovalifolium, Chloris gayana, and polypropylene mat, all established two months after planting the palms. All vegetative ground covers competed detrimentally with pejibaye for nutrients. D. ovalifolium and C. gayana provided acceptable weed control. A. pintoi provided good ground cover, but poor weed control. A taste panel rated heart-of-palm samples for favorable sensory characteristics, including sweetness, tenderness, crispness, and moistness, as well as negative sensory characteristics, including astringency and acridity. Basal sections were significantly more acrid and astringent than apical sections. Percent total soluble solids ranged from 3.0 to 6.6, but no obvious progeny or location patterns were apparent. Samples were provided to chefs in upscale restaurants where they received favorable comments.