Geno-phenotypic diversity in a natural population of Hancornia speciosa Gomes: implications for conservation and improvement.

Hancornia speciosa Gomes is native tree to South America, and its fruits are a source of income for communities and the food industry. The reduction of natural occurrence areas of H. speciosa, the absence of a sustainable management plan conservation and breeding programs, threaten its natural populations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic variability of fruits, seeds, and seedlings and to estimate the genetic diversity. The main goal is to provide information for the conservation and breeding programs of the species. Measurable variables of fruits, seeds, and seedling; and genetic diversity was estimated by ISSR markers. Among fruits, 53.21% had a longitudinal diameter from 27.5 to 35 mm and 63.15% had a transversal diameter from 24.5 to 35 mm. The average seed biometry was 9.98 mm, 8.21 mm, and 3.97 mm, for length, width and thickness respectively. The length of seedlings shoots varied from 3.0 to 8.5 cm, roots from 4.0 to 15.8 cm and dry mass from 80 to 103 mg seedling⁻¹. The genetic parameters estimated were He = 0.40, I = 0.50, Na = 2.0, Ne = 1.71 and similarity of 55.29%. The population has high phenotypic variability of fruits, seeds and seedlings, and genetic diversity. There is potential for use of this population in the enrichment process for the restoration of natural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]