Study of Botanical Description and Pomological Characterization of the Pasó (Gustavia macarenensis) (Phase 2)

This project focuses on the botanical and phytochemical investigation of the fruit of *Gustavia macarenensis*, an understudied Amazonian species belonging to the Lecythidaceae family, despite the known potential of related species for medicinal and nutritional uses. The study addresses the need to document native species utilized by Amazonian communities, providing essential genetic and chemical information. The methodology combines field and laboratory phases. The field phase includes georeferencing (using GPS) and random sampling of fruits, leaves, and flowers at 18 points within Kichwa communities in the cantons of La Joya de los Sachas, El Coca, and Loreto, in addition to soil sample collection. In the laboratory, taxonomic identification, botanical description, and soil analysis will be performed. The phytochemical analysis of the fruit will focus on oil extraction via Soxhlet, followed by fatty acid determination using Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Furthermore, key bioactive compounds will be quantified using advanced techniques: lipophilic antioxidants (tocopherols, chlorophylls, and carotenoids) via HPLC; antioxidant activity using the DPPH assay; and total phenolic content (TPC) with the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The ultimate goal is to exhaustively characterize the fruit's chemical profile.<br/><br/><b>Goal</b>: <br/>To conduct a botanical and phytochemical study of the fruit of the plant species *Gustavia macarenensis*, collected in the Orellana Province, Ecuador, to characterize its components and potential.<br/><br/><b>Research lines</b>: <br/>Biodiversity and genetic resources