COLETA, CARACTERIZAÇÃO E DIVERGÊNCIA FENOTÍPICA DE FRUTOS DE FAVA-D'ANTA

Abstract

This paper aimed to collect, to characterize and to estimate the phenotypic divergence of Dimorphandra spp. from different regions of Brazil. Dimorphandra species are sources of rutin, quercetin and rhamnose for pharmaceutical industry. Fruits at mature stage were collected from 21 areas, totaling 84 trees in cities of Minas Gerais, Maranhão and Tocantins states. The following descriptors were used to characterize the collected fruits: mean fruit fresh weight; mean seed fresh weight; fruit length and diameter; length, diameter and thickness of seed; seed color; number of viable and unviable seeds per fruit, and boron content in mesocarp and endocarp. The data were analyzed using a standardized average Euclidian distance matrix. The areas were clustered based on Neighbor Joining algorithm. Phenotypic variability among areas was detected. The clustering of the groups was consistent with geographic region of the collection and the species were separated in different groups. The D. wilsonii Rizz. species was the most divergent considering the three studied species. However, for germplasm conservation, more expeditions to collect samples are needed to increase the effective population number and to ensure an adequate accuracy to assure the occurrence of minimal genetic erosion.