The murtilla, has been used for much in food preparations traditional type of South and South Central Zone of Chile, particularly in the preparation of jams, pastries and dessert recipes such as Chilean guava in syrup alone or with jelly.
This tradition is renewed every year with the summer-autumn fruiting in where collectors harvest the wild murtilla their relics to be sold at markets and fairs, mainly in the Region of La Araucanía and Los Lagos.
However, since a couple of decades, some small agribusinesses have been buying fruit for the preparation of jams and desserts, making the demand for fresh fruit increased.
Also, some fresh fruit items have been sent abroad, with success, but because among other things continue to supply problems. Why
today, murtilla and its derivatives are more interesting as an alternative agricultural and agro?
Like any other type of product, process or service, murtilla and its derivatives depend on "attributes" for their intrinsic commercial value is higher or lower.
In this regard recent studies have indicated the existence murtilla new attributes, which has generated greater interest from the market. The following discloses the historical attributes of this fruit native and the most recent, including changes in specific attributes such as size and color of the fruit:
historical attributes for fresh consumption and in prepared foods and other products:
• Aroma of fruit: Different, pervasive and persistent
• Taste off: Unlike persistent
• Color of fruit: Shades of red to pink
attractive (in preparations tends to keep)
• Level of consumption of fruit: Total
• Fruit Size: Smaller than New attributes cranberry
for consumption in food preparations and other products:
• soluble solids content: Genotypes with high percentages of soluble solids. On average, the INIA collection
16.27 º Brix sugar • Content: In this same collection several interesting genotypes show average levels of fructose (28.39 mg / gpf)) and sucrose (111.67 mg / gpf)
• Contains antioxidants: This gene bank, there are ecotypes which have comparatively high levels of ascorbic acid (65.4 average mg/100gr), carotenoids and polyphenols.
• Contents of oils from seeds: Seeds of murtilla deliver a significant amount of linoleic acid (85.8%), surpassing that of safflower (78.7%), determination made by Pessa and Caprile in 1993.
• Storage capacity of the fruit: In storages being made in Carillanca INIA, 5 º C and 50% were HR, some genotypes only lost 3% of its weight in 45 days.
• Fruit size: Today genotypes found over 1.5 cm in diameter.
• Colors of the fruit: Carillanca INIA has a collection of ecotypes that have fruits that range from deep red to white.
• Type of food prepared: Previously, it was assumed that only served to prepared sweet murtilla today renowned Chef in Chile, salty and sour preparations made.
• murtilla sheets and cosmetic use: murtilla sheets have been designated by the company Levinia and Manfredini, green gold cosmetics, this because of its high content of polyphenols (fitoflavonas), tannins and terpenes, which have antioxidant and anti-age. This is compounded its high yield of dry extract: more than 10%, in circumstances that most plants extract about 1%.
• murtilla sheets and drug use: Recent studies by The College of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Chile, we suggest anti-inflammatory and wound healing activity of leaf extracts.
Features of Species or
murtilla La Murta (Ugni Turcz molinae.) Is an endemic plant belongs to the family Myrtaceae. It is a kind of bushy growth, produces fruit globose, small, pleasant taste and aroma. The fruits are traditionally used for fresh consumption and home-made jams, syrups, desserts and liqueurs. In folk medicine is credited with astringent and stimulant.
In the wild the species develops into bushes of varying height between 0.3 m and 1.70 m, and exceptionally can reach a height greater than 3 m.
Geographic
develops in the wild in southern Chile, distributed between the Seventh and Tenth Region, especially in the Cordillera de la Costa and part of the Andean foothills.
From surveys and germplasm collections made in 1996 by INIA Carillanca was observed that higher frequency of the species occurs from the central depression (72 ° LE) to the Cordillera de la Costa (74 ° SL) and from 10 to 300 meters. Weather
that characterize the habitat of the species.
climate that characterizes the areas where murtilla develops in Region VII is of the Mediterranean sea, while in Region IX and X, the climatic conditions are more variable, and can be found in areas The weather in Patagonia wet ocean, ocean warm and cold ocean ocean fresh.
Soil Characteristics Studies by INIA Carillanca murtilla showed that grows naturally in poor soils and low fertility. Chemical analysis of soil samples collected at 36 sites for the collection of germplasm between VII and X regions, led to the conclusion that in general this species grows in soils low in phosphorus and available nitrogen, low in exchangeable potassium, and high saturation rates aluminum, with a pH of 5.6 to 6.0.
previous fruit harvesting
The fruit harvest period depends on the agro-ecological zone, this task begins in Region VII in mid February and ends in mid-March. however in Region IX, collection Fruiting begins in March and ends in late April, and the X Region, especially in Chiloé, the largest amount of fruit for collection is obtained from April to May. OTHER FEATURES
chemical characteristics of seed
1993 study by the Faculty of Agronomy of the University in Ranchi Leonardo Da Vinci, showed that the fruits of their seeds murtilla have a high degree of unsaturation; important linoleic acid and linolenic acid absence, indicating that it is potentially a good source of edible oil and can become a quality dietary supplement.
According to the classification
Masson and Mella the characteristics described above would place the Murta oil within the group II of vegetable fats (over 40% linoleic acid) in this group are the main edible oil used in the country such as maize, sunflower and grape seed.
From the above studies also concluded that the seed oil of safflower exceeds murta for the content of linoleic acid (85.8% vs. 78.7%, respectively). Linoleic acid is an essential nutrient in the synthesis of prostaglandins, generation of cell membranes, mechanisms of defense and regeneration tissue. This suggests that the Murta oil would also represent a potential source in the manufacture of cosmetics.
chemical characteristics of leaves
regard, Levinia and Manfredini, a Chilean company dedicated to the development of cosmetic products, recently developed out to evaluate the feasibility of using the leaves of the murtilla in the manufacture of dermatological use . According Levinia and Manfredini murtilla sheets submitted a large amount of polyphenolic compounds, terpenes and tannins. The first are of great importance in dermo for corrective and neutralizing their effects oxidative stress. Terpenes and tannins have regulatory properties of the microcirculation, healing and astringent power. Meanwhile
researchers from the Department of Chemistry, Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Chile evaluated the topical anti-inflammatory activity in vivo and in vitro antioxidant activity of the apolar fractions murtilla sheets.
topical anti-inflammatory activity of extracts was evaluated in vivo in mice that were induced inflammation. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated in vitro by the DPPH discoloration test. The results indicated that the Chilean guava has high anti-inflammatory capacity.
A subsequent investigation by the same team was isolated and identified by a study bioguiado chemical compounds mainly present in the extracts obtained which are credited with topical anti-inflammatory capacity reported.
isolated and identified compounds accounted pentacyclic triterpene acids: oleanolic acid, ursolic acid and asiatic acid. There are many reports of anti-inflammatory properties of the first two and its possible mechanism of action. For his part, asiatic acid is a component of Centella asiatica, for which they have described the synthesis regulatory properties collagen involved in wound healing.
For its part the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Universidad de la Frontera is studying the effect of extraction conditions murtilla leaf on the content of polyphenolic components and antioxidant activity of extracts of leaves. From the extracts was determined by the percentage of extractable polyphenols were quantified by spectrophotometry and evaluated the antioxidant capacity by DPPH method. Results indicated
antioxidant behavior close to 95% which makes murtilla leaves a potential source of antioxidant polyphenols.
Features
fruit The background to below from the study of 106 ecotypes that make up the germplasm collection of INIA murtilla Carillanca.
Overall it should be noted that the Chilean guava fruits have a high variability in the color and size. With regard to fruit color variation exists depending on their area of \u200b\u200borigin. The fruits from the Region VII are pink or pale yellow, variegated fruits also being able to find, in the IX Region are mostly red, although a number of ecotypes are pink, but instead in the X region, highlighting the bright red fruits.
In relation to the diameter of the fruit, it fluctuates between 0.9 and 1.3 cm. It is important to note that the latitudinal variation significantly affects this character. As the weight per fruit, it fluctuates between 0.21 and 1.01 g. high variability observed among the materials collected. As with equatorial diameter, fruit weight increases from north to south.
This makes it clear that the fruits of greater diameter and weight are in the X region. In fact, the ecotype of greater weight and equatorial diameter is preserved in the germplasm collection Carillanca INIA Cutipay comes from the town on the island of Chiloé, X Region.
As the soluble solids of fruit, these decrease from north to south, a trend opposite to what happens to the equatorial diameter and weight. Materials available in the collection, ecotype identified with a higher content of soluble solids (28 ° Brix) comes from the Pyrenean High, in Region VII. In parallel we evaluated the content of sucrose in the fruit and seeds, pH, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content.
Table 1.
Summary of results from the chemical analysis of the fruits of murtilla INIA collection Carillanca.
Study of genetic variability using molecular techniques
A study of genetic variability using RAPD technique was determined that there would be evaluated materials ecotypes counterpart.
Systems
plant propagation plant propagation nursery. INIA Carillanca proposes a methodology for producing plants in the nursery.
propagation in vitro for the proper establishment of plants in vitro INIA murtilla Carillanca recommended axillary buds which can be grown either in nutrient media broadleaved Tree Medium (BTM) or Fossard, both supplemented with 1 mgL-1 N-6-benzyladenine (BAP) and 50 mgL-1 of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Most shoot elongation (4.33 mm) is obtained when using the medium Fossard with 1 mgL-1 GA3 and 50 mgL-1 PvP. Studies
reproductive history and phenological murtilla
Flowering in the IX Region began in the week of December 15 being the highest bloom during the first week of January, exactly a month later than that observed in Chillan for Venegas and colleagues in 1995.
is commonly found in the pre-anthesis anthers mature pollen which accumulates at the base of the pistil and stamens. This background allows us to conclude that pollinator visits are due to the collection of pollen, not nectar removal. This conclusion is confirmed by the complete lack of nectar and pollen production high in this species.
Based on exposure and maturity of the reproductive elements, it follows that the most effective cross-pollination (xenogamous) would be presented in a period of low percentage of available flowers change in the peak flowering periods the degree of geitonogamy is high, enabling a high percentage of self-pollination.
The results of genetic tests murtilla clear that not a kind aponixtica (no seed formation in the absence of male gamete) and requires pollination. In cross-pollination obtained higher values \u200b\u200bof seed per flower self-pollination cross-comparison with. The murtilla has a 47% cross-pollination which is favored by the presence of mainly insects of the genus Bombus spp. Floral longevity is 4 days, which indicates the average time to receive the visits of pollinators.
