Brazil may no longer depend on imports of hops, one of the main ingredients of beer. Researchers from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) are testing biological inputs to increase the production of seedlings in less time. Almost 100% of the hops – the ingredient responsible for the beer’s aroma and flavor – used in the country’s breweries is imported. Embrapa studies point out that hop production can be benefited by the action of bacteria and fungi. Like other cultures in which producers already use bioinputs (biological inputs) to boost productivity, experiments with seedlings inoculated with the Azospirillum bacteria allowed for a 52% increase in biomass in the aerial part of the plant. “Our perspective is to obtain a bioinput that stimulates the production of more vigorous seedlings, with less time spent in the nursery and that reflect in benefits in terms of productivity and, who knows, even in the sensory quality of the hops”, explains researcher Gustavo Xavier, from Embrapa Agrobiology (RJ). The work is one of the fronts of Rede Lúpulo, an effort aimed at creating conditions to leverage the production of culture in the country. Research The experiment was carried out at the Ninkasi Nursery, located in Teresópolis (RJ), the first recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) for the production of hop seedlings in Brazil. The researchers tested bacteria and fungi stored at the Johanna Döbereiner Center for Biological Resources (CRB-JD), in Seropédica (RJ). They are microorganisms that, admittedly, have the function of promoting plant growth, but it was not yet known whether they would have any benefit on hops. In addition to carrying out new field tests with different bacteria from the biological collection of Embrapa Agrobiologia, the researchers want to know how hops interact with other microorganisms, such as fungi and bacilli. “Although the results are preliminary, they point to the potential for expansion of these bioinputs for the cultivation of hops”, adds Xavier. But research with hops in Serra Fluminense is not only focused on microorganisms. Because it is a recent culture in the region, there is very little material with guidance on handling, harvesting and post-harvesting, taking into account local characteristics and needs. With that in mind, researchers from Embrapa’s three research centers in Rio de Janeiro have been working on the development of technologies and information suitable for production and the market. Scientists want to obtain hops with differentiated quality, especially with regard to aroma characteristics. Production In 2021, Brazil imported approximately 4,700 tons of hops, totaling more than R$ 450 million, according to Embrapa. To reduce this dependency, in addition to Rio de Janeiro, hop culture is also expanding in other states, such as Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo and Rio Grande do Norte. Most take place on small properties of up to one hectare, to meet the local production of microbreweries. For the production of beer, the four basic ingredients are: water, wheat, barley and hops. The latter is considered the seasoning of beer, exactly what gives it aroma and taste. Hops are the most expensive production input. The great hop producing regions of the world are found in the Northern Hemisphere, in the colder zones of North America, Europe and Asia. The imported product is normally sold in packages of 400 grams, which can cost up to R$ 300. Marketed on a large scale to different parts of the world, hops undergo a thermal process to preserve their shelf life of up to two years, called pelletization . The aroma and flavor of the product, although still strong, are not similar to those of the fresh product.
Agência Brasil
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