Assessment of the phenotypic diversity in natural populations of Annona coriacea Mart.: implications for breeding

Annona coriacea Mart. is a native tree to the savannas of Brazil that produces fruits that have economic, ecological, and dietary potential for use by local communities and the food industry. The conservation and pre-breeding of natural populations of A. coriacea depend on genetic divergence studies and require knowledge about its characterization and the possible identification of superior genotypes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify genetic divergence in a native population of A. coriacea genotypes based on morphological and physicochemical characteristics, estimate the efficiency of descriptors used in the discrimination of the genotypes, and indicate the essential descriptors for the characterization activities. A total of 34 quantitative descriptors were used to describe this diversity, and the data were subjected to multivariate analysis and clustering analysis. The relative importance of the descriptors was measured using the Singh method. The pulp and fruit weight and potassium concentration were the most important descriptors that contributed to the genetic divergence of the populations. The grouping methods (UPGMA and Tocher) allocated to the heterogeneous groups presented high genetic variability, enabling the selection of individuals for hybridization programs with F1 generation gains. The evaluated populations had high phenotypic variability in fruits and seeds. This study identified genotypes that could be introduced into the food and cosmetic industries. These native populations have the potential to be used in breeding programs.