The icaco (Chrysobalanus icaco L.) underused fruit plant: its role in soil protection and other potentialities.

Abstract

The icaco (Chrysobalanus icaco L.) is a fruit plant species that supports animals and men with foodstuff. In Cuba, unlike other countries of the continent, it is scarcely used. The main objectives of our research deal with evaluating its potentiality in soils stabilization and protection, highlighting its role in wildlife and human nutrition, as well as defining the most effective way for its expansion and population increase. Different methods were utilized in the study, among them application of interviews in the local communities, direct sowing in narrow frame plantation and morphometric measurement of fruits and seeds. The results evidence that the species had a germination average of 90%. It was checked in the communities a low percentage of applicability of the different uses of the icaco, being the most remarkable a syrup made out of it, which 93,3% of interviewees consume it in this way.