Potenciais socioeconômicos e ambientais da exploração comercial da paina da munguba, Pseudobombax munguba (Mart. & Zucc.) Dugand, na Amazônia Central, Brasil

Abstract

The species Pseudobombax munguba (Mart. & Zucc.) Dugand is an abundant tree in the floodplain of the Central Amazon and produces a paina composed of fine fibers for wind and water dispersion of its seeds. In view of the quality of these fibers, the thesis was established that their commercial exploitation would present significant socioeconomic potentials within the scope of the New Bioeconomy. First, botanical and ecological details of the species are presented based on observations over 25 years. In order to better understand its distribution, prehistoric and historical foundations for the development of the habitat of P. munguba were recovered through bibliographic studies and interviews with floodplain experts. Potential customers of Germany's advanced economy were identified, who demand fibers in the form of consolidated fleeces. The requirements of the markets in Germany were raised through an on-site survey and analyzed through various physical-chemical and biological tests. The production capacity of the fibers by the local population was tested, evaluating the scale potential of the munguba, by propagation of seedlings and cuttings. The results show that the species is little studied and that the modern population has lost ancestral information about the tree. Its distribution is explained by anthropogenic suppression and effective dispersion by water and wind. The fibers of the paina are hollow and hydrophobic with a diameter of 15-16µm and have a noticeable thermal insulating property. The fibers are ideal for the production of fleeces exposed to the environment by combining water repellency with antifungal and antibacterial action and repulsion of insects, rodents and birds. The high rate of propagation, germination, growth and vigorous regeneration, show aptitude for short-term productive plantations. Its scale potential makes fibers suitable as a raw material for industrial export manufacturing. It is proposed that P. munguba plantations will be able to control marginal erosion and decrease the silting up of muddy river channels. The results indicate socioeconomic and environmental potential of the commercial exploitation of munguba and propose its industrialization. Finally, it is concluded that the industrialization and exportation of insulating fleeces from the fibers of the munguba fruit potentially contributes to sustainable development in the interior of the Amazon.