Social and environmental indicators of the peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) research in S o Paulo State - Brazil. Indicadores socioambientais da pesquisa com a pupunheira no Estado de S o Paulo - Brasil.

The main objective was to study the impact of the introduction in S o Paulo State of the Amazonian palm, peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) as a heart-of-palm producer, to evaluate its influence on the local dynamics, by means of social-environmental indicators, under three distinct geographic conditions in S o Paulo State. First, the North Coastal region, second, the Ribeira river Valley region, both within the Atlantic forest limits, where exists the possibility of the native ‘ju ara palm’ to be threatened by extinction by the predatory exploitation of heart-of-palms. The third region is the S o Paulo State plateau where the peach palm has been cultivated in several areas, as an economical alternative. As far as the research on the peach palm crop is concerned, when analyzing its technical parameters associated to higher soil erosion control, reduced soil compaction, rational use of chemical fertilizers and organic matter, higher awareness of the irrigation requirements in lower rainfall regions it is evident that there was meaningful aggregation of knowledge by farmers on the crop, which became an important sustainable agricultural innovation. In general, there was a positive environmental impact both in the North Coastal and the Ribeira river Valley region since the early implantation of the peach palm crop, whereas in the Plateau region no effect was observed. In all regions there was an improvement of the labour force skills, as well as an improvement of the basic living conditions of the small farmers. Despite the significant differences among the regions, concerning the edaphoclimaticpoint of view, requiring that distinct technological packages be adopted, and the social one, the peach palm crop represents for S o Paulo State, an agricultural alternative environmentally sustainable, showing promising economic perspectives and significant social importance.O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os impactos socioambientais da pesquisa com a pupunheira (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) para produ o de palmito, com o intuito de se avaliar sua influência na dinamica local em três condi es geográficas distintas do Estado de S o Paulo, de 1990 a 2006. A primeira corresponde ao Litoral Norte Paulista, a segunda ao Vale do Ribeira, ambas situadas dentro dos limites da Mata Atlantica, em que ocorre a possibilidade de extin o do palmiteiro ju ara (Euterpe edulis Mart.), espécie nativa, pela colheita predatória de palmito. A terceira regi o corresponde às áreas do planalto paulista em que a pupunheira vem sendo cultivada como alternativa econ mica. Com r