Title:	Intensity of bitterness of processed yerba mate leaves originated in two contrasted light environments.
Authors:	RAKOCEVIC, M. MEDRADO, M. J. S. LUCAMBIO, F. VALDUGA, A. T.
Affiliation:	MIROSLAVA RAKOCEVIC, CNPTIA; MOACIR JOSE SALES MEDRADO, CNPF; FERNANDO LUCAMBIO, UFPR; ALICE TERESA VALDUGA, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões.
Date Issued:	2008
Citation:	Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, Curitiba, v. 51, n. 3, p. 569-579, May/June 2008.
Description:	The bitterness intensity of beverage prepared from the leaves produced on the males and females of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), grown in the forest understory and monoculture, was evaluated. The leaves were grouped by their position (in the crown and on the branch tips) and by the leaf age. The leaf gas exchange, leaf temperature and photosynthetic photon flux density were observed. Inter and intra-specific competition for light and self-shading showed the same effect on yerba mate beverage taste. All the shading types resulted in bitterer taste of the processed yerba mate leaves compared to the leaves originated under the direct sun exposure. The leaves from the plants grown in the monoculture showed less bitterness than those grown in the forest understory. This conclusion was completely opposite to the conventionally accepted paradigm of the yerba mate industries. The leaves from the tips (younger leaves) of the plants grown in the monoculture resulted a beverage of softer taste; the males produced less bitter leaves in any light environment (forest understory or in the crown in monoculture). The taste was related to the photosynthetic and transpiration rate, and leaf temperature. Stronger bitterness of the leaves provided from the shade conditions was related to the decreased leaf temperature and transpiration in the diurnal scale.
Thesagro:	Fotossíntese Temperatura Sombreamento Chimarrão Ilex paraguariensis
NAL Thesaurus:	Photosynthesis Shade Stomatal conductance Temperature Transpiration
Keywords:	Erva-mate Leaf age
DOI:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-89132008000300018
Type of Material:	Artigo de periódico
Access:	openAccess
Appears in Collections:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPF)