MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GENOTYPES OF Manihot esculenta Crantz OBTAINED BY SEEDS

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Brazil, being the probable center of origin of the species Manihot esculenta, high genetic variability. Although the species is reproduced commercially in a vegetative way, can also reproduce via seedssexuates. Seeds are mainly used in genetic improvement, because they promote the variability that is indispensable to selection of new genotypes of agronomic interest. The objective of this study was characterize the genotypes from stem-based morphological descriptors, leaves, petioles, and plant architecture of the macaxeira individuals obtained through from random crosses between individuals in a germplasm site. The results indicate wide variability for most descriptors, being only the class prominence of the foliar scars characteristic of all genotypes. It is also worth noting the high coefficient of variation in relation to the descriptor height of the first branch.KEYWORDS: variability; Manihot esculenta; seeds; morphology.