Malpighia emarginata is a tropical fruit-bearing shrub or small tree in the family Malpighiaceae native to the Neotropics. The fruit is notable for its exceptional richness in vitamin C and versatility in various food preparations.
Names
Common names include acerola (from "azarole" for a similar looking old-world fruit), Puerto Rican cherry, Guarani cherry, Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry, wild crepe myrtle, cereza, and cerise.
Distribution
Malpighia emarginata is originally native to the Lesser Antilles islands of the southern Caribbean Sea, extending into South America as far south as Brazil. It has been introduced and even naturalized elsewhere in the neotropics, such as in Peru, Venezuela, and Ecuador, as well as the southernmost parts of the contiguous United States (southern Florida and the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas). In Florida, it can be grown in protected locations as far north as Cape Canaveral. It is cultivated in the tropics and subtropics throughout the world from southern Europe to parts of Africa, India, and Australia.
Production
Brazil
Brazil is the largest producer of acerola worldwide. On , Brazil produces of acerola per year. In order to preserve the genetic variability of acerola, the federal rural University of Pernambuco in Brazil established an "Acerola Active Germplasm Bank" in June 1998.
Growth conditions
Acerola can be propagated by seed, cutting, or other methods. It prefers dry, well-drained, sandy soil and full sun, and cannot endure temperatures lower than . Because of its shallow roots, it has very low tolerance to winds. Furthermore, a sufficient water supply is advantageous for good growth and maximum yields of large fruits. This is especially important during fruiting and flowering. The optimal growth conditions are reached at a mean temperature of and of rainfall annually.
Description
Acerola is an evergreen shrub or small tree with spreading branches on a short trunk. It is usually tall, but sometimes reaches in height. The chromosome number is 2n = 40.
Bark
The bark of young branches is green and sparsely covered with curly-haired trichomes, which fall off with age. The greyish to brownish bark is relatively smooth and covered with conspicuous cork pores when young. With age, it is thick and cracked.
Leaves
The leaves are simple, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate in outline, long, wide, with an entire or undulating margin. They are attached oppositely on the stem on short petioles. These leaves and petioles can irritate skin due to minute stinging hairs. fringed petals, 10 stamens, and six to 10 glands on the calyx. The three to five flowers per inflorescence are sessile or short-peduncled axillary cymes. and other nutrients. They are divided into three obscure lobes and are usually acidic to subacidic, giving them a sour taste,
Cultivation methods
Yield and harvest
Acerola flowers and fruits already in the first year after planting but increases its production in the following years, reaching up to per plant in the sixth year.
Sowing
Plants can be set at any time of the year, but the best time is spring, just before the rainy season. Choose a location with good water drainage and in a sheltered spot. Florida duskywing (Ephyriades brunneus), and brown-banded skipper (Timochares ruptifasciatus). Larvae of the acerola weevil (Anthonomus macromalus) feed on the fruits, while adults consume young leaves.
Nutritional value
Acerola fruit is 91% water, and 8% carbohydrates, and contains negligible protein and fat (table). In a reference amount of , acerola supplies 32 calories, and is a rich source particularly of vitamin C at some 20 times the Daily Value (DV), with manganese at 26% DV, and other micronutrients at uniformly low levels (table).
Whereas the content of sugar, soluble solids and titratable acids increases with the ripening process of the fruit, the vitamin C content decreases. Therefore, the immature green fruit is harvested for industrial use of the vitamin C. Because acerola also contains pigments like anthocyanins and carotenoids, it could also be used as a food colorant. and for hedges.