Influence of plantation density and cultivation cycle on root productivityand tenors of beta-ecdysone in Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen

Pfaffia glomerata, Amaranthaceae, known as Brazilian ginseng due to the ton ic properties of its roots, has been drastically affected by gathering, and deserves studies to make its cultivation viable. In order to evaluate the production of this species in experimental cultivation, we studied the infl uence of plantation density and cultivation cycle on the productivity of ro ots and the content of beta-ecdysone. Seedlings obtained from seeds compose d an experiment conducted in the experimental field of CPQBA-UNICAMP. Parce ls had two plantation densities (0.5 m(2) and 1.0 m(2) per plant) and plant s were harvested at 12 and 24 months of age. The results obtained show that root productivity per area was larger in the 0.5 m2-spacing plantation bot h in the first and in the second year. Results also show that the percentag e of beta-ecdysone in the roots was affected neither by the cultivation cyc le nor by plantation density.