Prediction of internal “pequi” fruit tissues based on fresh weight

Abstract

Mesocarps and seeds of “pequi” (Caryocar brasiliense Camb.) are the useful fruit parts for oil and liquor production in the brazilian “cerrado.” To improve colletion efficency by small landowners and consequently to reduce human predation, it is of interest to estimate internal fruit parts based on external fruit characteristics. The use of simple regression models relating fruit fresh weight at different maturation stages as a possible predictor of internal fruit characteristics did not result useful. The amount of variation explained by the models varied from 3.96% to 21.73%. It is suggsted that poor prediction estimates are the result of differential water content of fresh fruit parts