The impact of reproductive output on Prosopis denudans pod partition and chemical composition: Implications for economic utilization

Abstract

Notes on Economic Botany Conclusions. Reproductive output affects the weight of Prosopis denudans pods and the pericarp: seed ratio. Low-yield individuals produced fruits with a higher proportion of mesocarp, the useful fraction for the food industry. As the cost of flour production greatly depends on this relative amount of mesocarp, during years of heavy fructification, pod thinning could be an option to decrease industrial costs. The chemical quality of flour would not be affected by this practice. Nevertheless, the seasonal availability and the cost of labor should be evaluated before the practice of thinning can be recommended.