Platonia insignis: A Systematic Synthesis of Scientific Studies on Its Biology, Ecology, and Potential Applications

Platonia insignis, a native tree from the Amazon, has a high market demand due to its various uses, such as producing pulps and ice creams from its fruit and furniture from its wood. This review aims to systematize the scientific knowledge about the species and explore the potential of biotechnology to elucidate its growth, development, and fruiting mechanisms. Databases such as the Web of Science, Scopus, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Database, and PubMed were consulted using keywords like "P. insignis", "bacuri", and "bacurizeiro". Of the 67 selected articles, it was observed that rigorous research on P. insignis is limited. Current management is based on empirical observations, but biotechnology could expedite the domestication process. Additionally, studying medicinal compounds from P. insignis could open new economic opportunities, encourage germplasm conservation, and drive genetic breeding.