Advances in Brazil Nut Tree Ecophysiology: Linking Abiotic Factors to Tree Growth and Fruit Production

Abstract

Purpose of the Review: The Brazil nut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) is a symbolic tree in the Brazilian Amazonian. In a broad sense, it plays a crucial role in its social, economic, and environmental importance. This species contributes on a large scale to the equilibrium of the biological processes related to the biogeochemical cycles in the Amazon biome, and its nuts sustain a multi-million-dollar extractive economy, which supports small farmers and traditional populations. Brazil nut is also becoming one of the most important species in silviculture and is increasingly used in agroforestry systems and the recovery of degraded areas. In this review, we deepened our understanding of the growth performance of the Brazil nut tree and its ecophysiological traits, both in native trees and commercial forest plantations. Based on the literature for this species, we discuss the concepts of plasticity and other functional traits that may help to increase Brazil nut plantation and conservation, which in turn will increase nut production, forest sustainability, and social welfare. Recent Findings: The Brazil nut tree is a dominant species and is found throughout the Amazon region. Due to its ecophysiological traits, it can be cultivated as a commercial monoculture, in the enrichment of forest plantations, used in the recovery of degraded areas and the implementation of agroforestry systems. Recent evidence suggests that their dominance of natural forests and their high functional performance under cultivated conditions may be associated with their physiological plasticity and tolerance to abiotic stresses. Summary: Aspects related to phenotypic variation, genetic diversity, population characteristics, cultivation, and ecophysiological performance of Bertholletia excelsa are revised and linked to growth and nut production. We demonstrate that Brazil nut exhibits phenotypical plasticity in response to light, water, and nutrient availability. This trait can be explored for improvements in nut production in native trees and agroforestry plantations. In both cases, the availability of these resources influences population structure, tree growth, and fruit production. These results reinforce the importance of the use of Brazil nut tree as an attractive alternative for improving programs that involve the recovery of degraded areas in the continental Amazon. Lastly, the ecophysiological performance of the Brazil nut tree suggests its resilience to environmental change. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.