Phenotypic variability of fruits and seeds in natural populations of Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Mart. Ex Hayne)

Abstract

Hymenaea stigonocarpa (Mart. Ex Hayne), popularly known as jatobá-do-cerrado, is a fruit tree widely distributed in the Brazilian Savanna, has multiple uses and is a promising genetic resource. This study aimed to physically characterize fruits and seeds of H. stigonocarpa, as well as to estimate the phenotypic variability at three hierarchical levels: populations, mother trees within populations, and fruits/seeds within mother trees. Fruits from six mother trees were sampled from each of the 25 natural populations found in the Brazilian Savanna. The morphometric characterization of 742 fruits was carried out by evaluating 10 quantitative traits in fruits and seeds. In addition, comparative analyses were performed between the average values of H. stigonocarpa and the botanical variety H. stigonocarpa var. brevipetiolata. Significant phenotypic variations were noticed at all hierarchical levels. A high phenotypic differentiation among the populations was observed for quantitative traits (fruit mass and size, pulp mass and seed mass), being higher when H. stigonocarpa var. brevipetiolata was included in the analysis.

Phenotypic and genotypic evaluation of Parkia platycephala families: a proposal for pre-selection

“…Species with wide geographic distribution that occur across different biomes, such as P. platycephala, show several advantages including adaptability, phenotypic plasticity, and high levels of genetic diversity (Castro et al 2021), which can be a great advantage for breeding programs, specifically when it is DYBO Silva et al starting the domestication of the species as for P. platycephala. Therefore, to design effective strategies for conservation and/or genetic improvement, the characterization of genetic variability is essential (Spigler et al 2017).…”

Tolerance of Hymenaea stigonocarpa Mart. ex Hayne. to glyphosate

“…Ex Hayne is a large tree naturally occurring in the Cerrado domain. They have leaves with adaxial and abaxial epidermis covered by a very thick cuticle, and the presence of oil glands in a subepidermal location has also been observed [21]. These anatomical structures are involved in decreasing the effective amount of herbicide absorbed by plants.…”