The genus Butia belongs to the Arecaceae family and shows five species occurring in Rio Grande de Sul. The specie Butia capitata requires special attention, not just for its use as fresh consumption but also as processed product. However, even having its use recorded since the pre-historic period this specie has been explored only in an extrativist way as most species of native fruits. Moreover, the specie is seriously committed in the short term by the absence of natural regeneration and a very high risk of extinction in the future. Therefore, the objective of this work was to compare the fruits, from chemical and physical parameters, and as well as to observe the productive data of the trees of three different populations of pindo palm tree in Santa Vitória do Palmar. The data were obtained in experiments carried out in the 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 seasons at three lands located in Santa Vitória do Palmar. The results allowed to verify that the populations of Butia capitata assessed in Santa Vitória do Palmar show variability for length of cycle, fruit epidermis color, juice volume, relationship between total soluble solids and total titratable acidity, biometric characteristics of fruit and yield. The population denominated Celina showed the higher yield and industrial income. Celina and São José showed the best biometric characteristics of fruit. The population Aguiar had the better relationship between total soluble solids and total titratable acidity.
Pindo palm tree; Yield; Fruit quality
