Resumo: In the State of Acre, the Brazil nut tree, Bertholletia excelsa (Lecythidaceae), is classified by the local population into two types according to morphological characteristics, including color and quality of wood, shape of the trunk and crown, and fruit production. We examined the reliability of this classification by comparing morphological and molecular data of four populations of Brazil nut trees from Vale do Rio Acre in the Brazilian Amazon. For the morphological analysis, we evaluated qualitative and quantitative information of the trees, fruits, and seeds. The molecular analysis was performed using RAPD and ISSR markers, with cluster analysis. Significant differences were found between the two types of Brazil nut trees for the characters diameter at breast height, fruit yield, fruit size, and number of seeds per fruit. Despite the significant correlation between the morphological characteristics and the popular classification, we observed all possible combinations of morphological characteristics in both types of Brazil nut trees. In some individuals, the classification did not correspond to any of the characteristics. The results obtained with molecular markers showed that the two locally classified types of Brazil nut trees did not differ genetically, indicating that there is no consistent separation between them.

Ano de publicação: 2013

Tipo de publicação: Artigo de periódico

Unidade: Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia

Palavras-chave: Acre, Amazonia Occidental, Amazônia Ocidental, Bertholletia excelsa, Brazil nuts, Castanha do pará, Castanheira, Classificação morfológica, Epitaciolândia (AC), Essência florestal, Fazenda Nova Jerusalém, Fitomejoramiento, Genetic markers, Madera tropical, Marcador ISSR, Marcador RAPD, Marcador genético, Marcadores genéticos, Marcadores moleculares, Melhoramento genético vegetal, Morfologia vegetal, Nuez del Brasil, Plant breeding, Plácido de Castro (AC), RESEX Chico Mendes, Senador Guiomard (AC), Seringal Filipinas, Seringal Petrolina, Tropical wood, Western Amazon