Raceme and fruit position in the chemical composition of castor beans during storage

Abstract

This study evaluates the influence of the raceme position in the plant, the fruit position in the raceme, and the storage period on the chemical composition of castor beans. The experiment was initially performed in field, where planting and monitoring was performed according to crop requirements. After harvesting the first three racemes, the following treatments were evaluated in a completely randomized design with subdivided plots: raceme position in the plant, fruit position in the raceme, and storage. In laboratory, the contents of water, protein, oil, and ash were determined, being submitted to F test and compared by Tukey test when significant. The raceme position in the plant and the fruit position in the raceme do not interfere with the chemical composition of castor beans. During storage, the oil content is viable up to a maximum of eight months. Protein content was maintained high in tertiary racemes until the twelfth month.