Pimenta-de-macaco (monkey pepper - Piper aduncum L. - Piperaceae) is a species used in folk medicine throughout Brazil, containing an essential oil (2.5 to 4.0% yield) rich in dillapiole, an arylpropanoid with insecticide action. The objective of this research was to improve the cultivation system of P. aduncum in local conditions of Manaus, AM. The study was conducted in the experimental fields of Embrapa Western Amazon, and used randomized blocks with four replicates, each replicate with four plants in its testing area. Seven plant densities (0.5 m x 0.5 m; 1.0 m x 0.5 m; 1.0 m x 1.0 m; 1.5 m x 1.0 m; 1.5 m x 1.5 m; 1.5 m 2.0 m; 2.0 m x 2.0 m, E1 to E7 respectively) and three cutting periods (C1 - 6 months after transplanting, C2 - regrowth of C1 after 6 months (plants with 12 months in the field) and C3 - regrowth of C2 after 6 months (plants with 18 months in the field), therefore in a factorial scheme. A larger production was observed in the second cutting (C2) in the plant density E4. There were no statistical differences in the essential oil content in C1, regardless of densities. In relation to the essential oil yield, the best result was observed for the cutting period C2 in the E3 and E4 densities, 76.0 kg/ha and 88 kg/ha, respectively, with a dillapiole content of up to 85.6%. Therefore, the best cultivation condition according to the test was observed for the cutting after 12 months of transplantation and plant density of 1.0 m x 1.0 m or 1.5 m x 1.5 m.
Piperaceae; medicinal plant; dillapiole; Amazon
