Natural Populations of <i>Astrocaryum aculeatum</i> Meyer in Amazonia: Genetic Diversity and Conservation
Santiago Linorio Ferreyra Ramos,
Maria Teresa Gomes Lopes,
Carlos Meneses,
Gabriel Dequigiovanni,
Jeferson Luis Vasconcelos de Macêdo,
Ricardo Lopes,
Alexandre Magno Sebbenn,
Rogério Freire da Silva,
Therezinha de Jesus Pinto Fraxe,
Elizabeth Ann Veasey
Affiliations
Santiago Linorio Ferreyra Ramos
Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Rua Nossa Senhora do Rosário, 3863, Bairro Tiradentes, Itacoatiara 69100-000, AM, Brazil
Maria Teresa Gomes Lopes
Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida Rodrigo Otávio Ramos, 3.000, Bairro Coroado, Manaus 69077-000, AM, Brazil
Carlos Meneses
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Rua Baraúnas, 351, Bairro Universitário, Campina Grande 58429-500, PB, Brazil
Gabriel Dequigiovanni
Centro Universitário de Cascavel, Avenida Tito Muffato, 2317, Bairro Santa Cruz, Cascavel 85806-080, PR, Brazil
Jeferson Luis Vasconcelos de Macêdo
Campo Experimental da Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, Km 29, AM 010, CP. 319, Manaus 9010-970, AM, Brazil
Ricardo Lopes
Campo Experimental da Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental, Km 29, AM 010, CP. 319, Manaus 9010-970, AM, Brazil
Alexandre Magno Sebbenn
Seção de Melhoramento e Conservação Genética Florestal, Instituto Florestal de São Paulo, Rua do Horto, 931, Bairro Horto Florestal, São Paulo 01059-970, SP, Brazil
Rogério Freire da Silva
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Rua Baraúnas, 351, Bairro Universitário, Campina Grande 58429-500, PB, Brazil
Therezinha de Jesus Pinto Fraxe
Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Avenida Rodrigo Otávio Ramos, 3.000, Bairro Coroado, Manaus 69077-000, AM, Brazil
Elizabeth Ann Veasey
Departamento de Genética, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Pádua Dias, 11, Bairro São Dimas, Piracicaba 13418-900, SP, Brazil
Astrocaryum aculeatum, a palm tree incipiently domesticated from upland ecosystems in the Brazilian Amazon, is especially adapted to anthropized areas. The pulp of the fruit, obtained by extractivism, is consumed fresh by the Amazonian population. The objective of the study is to evaluate the diversity and genetic structure of the natural populations of A. aculeatum, exploited by extractive farmers in Amazonas, Brazil, seeking to suggest conservation and management strategies for this species. A total of 218 plants were sampled in 15 populations in 14 municipalities in the state of Amazonas, evaluated by 12 microsatellite loci. A total of 101 alleles were observed. The means of the observed heterozygosities (HO = 0.6390) were higher than expected (HE = 0.557), with high levels of heterozygotes in the populations. The fixation index in the loci and populations was negative. The FST (0.07) and AMOVA showed moderate population structure. Bayesian analysis indicated the grouping k = 4 as the most adequate. There is a high genetic diversity in populations, with a moderate genetic structure due to possible historical events, which could be related to the process of subpopulation formation, possibly presenting three historical moments: before and after the beginning of deforestation and today. The conservation and management policies of this species must be carried out at a watershed level.
