Caracterização populacional de Butia exilata deble & Marchiori e Butia lallemantii deble & Marchiori (Arecaceae)

Abstract

Butia exilata Deble & Marchiori and Butia lallemantii Deble & Marchiori are two species of palm trees belonging to the genus Butia (Arecaceae). Botanical resources from species of the Butia genus have economic and ecological importance. The fruit mesocarp is used in regional gastronomy as food and beverage production. The fibers of the leaves serve as raw material in the production of handicrafts, being an alternative source of income for family farming, in the development of cultural handicrafts and in regional gastronomy. However, there is a lack of scientific information that helps in understanding the population characteristics of their species, an essential attribute to support conservation actions, since many species of this genus are threatened with extinction, as well as the use of this information in breeding programs genetic. The general objective of this work was to characterize populations of B. exilata and B. lallemantii located in the municipalities of Sarandi, São Francisco de Assis, Manoel Viana and Alegrete, RS, using biometric variables. The morphometric analyzes were carried out in the field and at the Instituto Federal Farroupilha – Campus Alegrete. The results are presented in five chapters: In chapter I, a bibliographic review was carried out on the molecular aspects, botanical characterization, geographic distribution, conservation status and possible conservation measures of the species B. exilata and B. lallemantii. It was verified the need to carry out future studies on population characterization, to assist in the understanding of the pattern of genetic diversity, and the recognition of taxonomic divergences. In chapter II, correlation analyzes were performed between morphological characteristics of populations of B. exilata and B. lallemantii. The results of the analyzes helped to understand the polymorphism found within the populations of B. exilata and B. lallemantii. In chapter III, a morphometric dissimilarity study was carried out using Euclidean analysis. Among the variables analyzed, the one that most contributed to separating the populations was the variable mass of the pyrene, followed by the variable number of fruits per infructescence, followed by the variable equatorial fruit diameter, fruit mass and fruit longitudinal diameter. In the analysis of the dendrogram, represented by the clustering method (UPGMA), the formation of two groups was evidenced, which separated population 1 (B. exilata) from populations 2, 3 and 4 (B. lallemantii). In chapter IV, a research was carried out that sought to quantify the genetic diversity within and between populations of B. lallemantii, using three populations: São Francisco de Assis (1), Manoel Viana (2) and Alegrete (3). It was found that fruit mass, pyrene mass and mesocarp mass were the variables that most contributed to genetic diversity in B.lallemantii, and that the intrapopulation genetic diversity found is greater than the interpopulation genetic diversity. In chapter V, a study was carried out on the genetic diversity among genotypes of B. exilata. It was found that all morphometric characteristics analyzed showed genetic variability, with emphasis on fruit mass, pyrene mass and mesocarp mass.