Caracterização morfológica e germinação em populações naturais de hancornia speciosa (mangabeira)

Abstract

Studies with the aim of describing the genetic diversity in natural populations of Hancornia speciosa Gomes (mangabeira) are relevant to subsidize strategies of conservation, management and genetic improvement of the species. This study aimed to morphologically characterize three natural populations of H. speciosa located in areas of Cerrado in the region of Porto Nacional - TO and to study phenotypic variability through physical and chemical attributes of fruits. The studied populations were: Canaã, São Judas Tadeu and Providência. Seven genotypes were selected in each population and twenty fruits of each genotype were collected for analysis. In the fruits were measured: transverse and longitudinal diameter, total mass, number of seeds and fresh seed mass, mass and pulp yield. From the total pulp of each genotype, pH and soluble solids (°Brix) were measured. For morphological characterization, descriptive statistics were performed and the comparison between the populations was performed using the Tukey test at 5% probability. The relationship between the variables was estimated by the Pearson correlation coefficient. For the study of phenotypic variability, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. The natural populations of H. speciosa studied presented similar characteristics only for the variables seed mass and number of seeds, being found significant differences for the other variables. The population of São Judas Tadeu stood out for presenting more homogeneous fruits, bigger and with greater mass while the Providência for presenting fruits with higher content of soluble solids (ºBrix) than the other populations. It was possible to observe the trend of formation of groups of similarity involving the genotypes of each population.