Agronomic evaluations and safrole productivity of long pepper in Low, Medium and High Valley of Itajaí, Santa Catarina

The long pepper (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.) constitutes a plant species native and exclusive from Acre River Valley, Northwestern Brazil. The plant produces leaves containing essential oil composed of several substances, being safrole the major constituent. This paper reports the results of a preliminary evaluation of the biomass production and safrole content in long pepper plants with 14 months of growth, established in experimental plantation located at three altitudes (13m, 57m and 390m) in the Itajaí Valley. In the Lower and Middle Valley average yield of dry leaves (5087.94kg / ha) were obtained which was higher than those recorded in Acre. The content of essential oil in the Lower Valley (4.75%) was higher than the mean values observed in Northern Brazil (3.04%). The percentage of safrole in essential oil did not vary between the regions of Itajaí (average 72.31%). The higher productivity of safrole (160.43kg / ha) was obtained in the Lower Valley of Itajaí.