-The objective of this work was to estimate genetic parameters and predict genetic values for the selection of cassava (Manihot esculenta) genotypes in the state of Pará, Brazil. The trial was performed with 56 genotypes in two growing seasons

Bitter' and 'sweet' cassava are normally distinguished based on the hydrocyanic acid (HCN) content of their roots. Moreover, Brazilian farmers tend to select 'sweet' cassava based on the taste and cooking aspects. The aim of this study was to characterize chemical traits of 'bitter' and 'sweet' cassava roots of the Amazon region and to find genetic relations among accessions based on these traits. Considerable phenotypic variation was detected among the evaluated traits moisture, ashes, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity, pH, total carotenoids, free and total cyanide, crude protein, glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch. Aside from free and total cyanide, the trait means of sugars and moisture differed in 'bitter' and 'sweet' cassava and also differentiated these in different clusters in the dendrogram using the unweighted pair-group method based on arithmetic averages (UPGMA) and in the results of principal component analysis.

The aim of this work was to estimate the genetic divergence among accessions of cassava sampled in the Tapajós region in the State of Pará, Brazil, and conserved at the Regional Germplasm Bank of Eastern Amazon, using agronomic descriptors and molecular markers. Twenty-two accessions of cassava were evaluated in the field for two successive years, based on six agronomic descriptors in twelve-months-old plants without a specific experimental design. Accessions were also evaluated with eleven microsatellite loci in an automatic DNA analyser. Descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses were applied. Based on principal components analysis, the character weight of the aerial portion of the plant contributed most to the phenotypical variation. The six traits were used in the analysis of genetic dissimilarity between accessions, and the correlation between matrices generated by morphological and molecular data was estimated. The matrices of genetic dissimilarity were used in the construction of dendrograms using the UPGMA method. We observed a high variation of agronomical descriptors and molecular markers evaluated, which were capable to separate the accessions into distinct groups. A weak positive correlation was detected among the two matrices of genetic distances, which indicates the possibility to explore the genetic diversity using crossings and accessions Amarelinha 36 and Olho roxo 13 are divergent and potentially promising for the generation of heterotic hybrids. principais, o caráter peso da parte aérea da planta foi o que mais contribuiu para a variação fenotípica. Os seis caracteres foram utilizados nas análises de dissimilaridade genética e agrupamento, e foi estimada a correlação entre as matrizes geradas. As matrizes foram utilizadas para construção de dendrogramas pelo método UPGMA. Foi evidenciada ampla variação tanto dos descritores agronômicos quanto dos marcadores moleculares avaliados, os quais foram capazes de separar os acessos em grupos distintos. Foi encontrada fraca correlação entre as matrizes de distâncias genéticas, o que indicou a possibilidade de exploração da diversidade genética por meio de cruzamentos, sendo os acessos Amarelinha 36 e Olho roxo 13 divergentes e potencialmente promissores pare serem utilizados na geração de híbridos heterósticos. Palavras-chave: Análise multivariada. Distância genética. Manihot esculenta.