MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTORS OF SEEDLINGS IN LOCAL VARIETIES OF JAMBU (Acmella oleracea)
Multivariate analysis. Genetic variability. Germplasm bank; Unconventional vegetable.
Knowledge of diversity through morphological descriptors is a highly important tool for the conservation of genetic resources. Despite its widespread use, research on morphological descriptors and their genetic variability in jambu Acmella spp., especially during the seedling phase, is non-existent. Therefore, it is crucial to emphasize the significance of morphological characterization during the seedling phase, as it provides information in the early stages that may vary when observed in adult individuals. In this context, the present study aimed to collect germplasm of jambu and characterize the collected production areas in the municipalities of the metropolitan area of Belém and the northeastern region of Pará. Additionally, the study aimed to propose and validate morphological descriptors for the seedling phase that can be used in studies of genetic variability in local populations of jambu. At the time of collection, a questionnaire was administered to identify the main cultural practices adopted in the cultivation areas. For the genotypic analysis, an experiment was conducted in a protected environment at the School Farm of Igarapé-Açu (FEIGA). The experimental design used was randomized complete blocks, with three replications and 19 treatments, where each treatment represented a jambu genotype. Both quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the genotypes were evaluated. The data were analyzed using principal component analysis. The results showed that the number of leaves and stem pigmentation were the most significant contributors, demonstrating the differentiation and morphological variation found in the jambu seedlings. Regarding stem pigmentation, only the Gen-17 genotype collected in the municipality of Bragança showed differentiation from the other genotypes, presenting a greenish-purple pigmentation type. In terms of leaf shape, the Gen-17 genotype demonstrated variability, presenting an oval shape. The Gen-16 genotype from Bragança stood out for having the highest number of leaves among all evaluated genotypes. In conclusion, there was genetic variability among the 19 genotypes evaluated in the seedling phase. The method used was efficient in validating the morphological descriptors among the traditional genotypes of Acmella spp., with a higher discriminative power, proving useful in better understanding the genetic diversity of the collected local varieties. However, the variables that contributed the most to the genetic variability among the genotypes were the characteristics of the number of leaves, stem pigmentation, and leaf shape.