Paulo Yoshio Kageyama

Molecular differentiation, diversity, and folk classification of “sweet” and “bitter” cassava (Manihot esculenta) in Caiçara and Caboclo management systems (Brazil)

This study focuses the inter-relationships among the men, the use, and the intra-specific cassava diversity, under the perspective of this crop evolutionary dynamics. The origin, the use and the current local management of varieties with high and low cyanogenic potential are important questions around cassava domestication. We collected 169 local varieties identified as “sweet” or “bitter” cassava by traditional farmers from Atlantic Forest and Amazon (Medium Negro River Basin), Brazil. Using a population genetics and an ethnobotany approach, the diversity and the genetic structure of cassava were evaluated. We found a total of 115 vernacular names, and in the Atlantic Forest sample the average genetic diversity (HSxa0=xa00.654) was higher for the sweet varieties than for bitter ones (0.582). The genetic differentiation coefficient (RST), used to estimate the diversity among groups, was 0.057 (Pxa0<xa00.001), indicating that the divergence between the two groups is low. We obtained a low correlation between the morphological and genetic distances, and the congruence was high when the ethnoclassification and the genetic structure were considered. We discuss the adaptive advantages of the sweet varieties use, the current socio-economic changes in bitter varieties use, and the ecological history of these variety groups.

Repeatability and minimum harvest period of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) in Southern Bahia

Classically, selection for superior genotypes in cacao has been based on the successive harvest records across a number of years. Little information on the minimum duration of these harvest periods is available in the literature. The repeatability coefficient (ρ) was used to estimate this period. Twenty five cacao genotypes were assayed in a randomized block design with four replications and 16-plant plots. The following yield components were studied: number of healthy fruits per plant, number of collected fruits per plant, weight of humid seeds per plant and per fruit, and percentage of diseased fruits per plant, over 5 years (1986–90). Repeatability estimates were higher than 0.84 for all components, except percentage of diseased fruits per plant (^ρ - 0.41). With such estimates, it is possible to select genotypes on the basis of only two years of successive harvests, with a determination coefficient of 90%. The advantages of applying the repeatability coefficient to the cacao breeding program are discussed.

The seed bank of a gallery forest in Southeastern Brazil

The soil seed bank was studied in a gallery forest in Southeastern Brazil. Samples were collected from edge to edge along transects perpendicular to the river during the wet (December, 1990) and dry (August, 1991) seasons. The number of seeds found in the seed bank samples was greater in the dry season than in the wet season indicating that there was important variation in the seed stocks in these two periods. The similarity values between the seed bank and the community composition were low. The high density of weed species might be reflecting forest fragmentation and indicating a degree of perturbation.

Estrutura genética e sistema de acasalamento de Piper hispidinervum

Long pepper (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.) is a small tree with high commercial value found in areas under anthropic influence in the State of Acre, Brazil. The genetic structure and mating system of P. hispidinervum were evaluated using RAPD markers. The genetic diversity within and between natural populations were evaluated in 13 populations in the Basin Acre River - Western Brazilian Amazon. Twenty five open-pollinating families in a population located in Assis Brasil were evaluated to estimate the preferential crossing rate. Genetic diversity was observed, revealing that this species is spatially structured according to a pattern of isolation by distance. Most of the genetic variability was found within populations, and the variation between populations was also high (θP = 0.28). Two distinct groups were formed, based on genetic distances (φST), representing the Upper Acre and Lower Acre watersheds. By AMOVA, 20.61% of the total variability occurs between those two watershed regions. The multilocus crossing rate was estimated at 1.033, the estimate of the inbreeding coefficient (F) did not vary from zero, and the crosses preferentially occurred between unrelated individuals.

Estrutura genética populacional de Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (Leguminosae - Caesalpinioideae) em fragmentos florestais no Pontal do Paranapanema, SP, Brasil

The Pontal do Paranapanema is the most recently deforested region of the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The effects of forest fragmentation on the population genetic structure of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. were evaluated by genotyping with six microsatellite loci at least 30 adult and 30 sapling individuals of three populations in Pontal do Paranapanema . The sampling areas comprised two fragments located in the rural settlements Tucano (800 ha) and Madre Cristina (300 ha); and one population located in a continuous forest, the Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo (35,000 ha). High levels of genetic diversity were detected in saplings and adults, gene diversity (He) ranged from 0.718 to 0.835 and average number of alleles per locus (Â) ranged from 8.67 to 11.83, showing that the fragmentation has not caused loss of alleles yet. The high estimated fixation indexes (from 0.183 to 0.387) are due to null alleles in some loci and the occurrence of inbreeding within populations. Genetic divergence was low among adults (RST = 0.035) but increased among saplings (RST = 0.075). As expected, forest fragmentation has caused a decrease in gene flow among the populations, especially between the most distant fragment (Tucano - about 8 km from the Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo ). An alternative to promote gene flow among forest fragments of Pontal do Paranapanema would be the settle of agroforests, which would act as stepping-stones, favouring pollen and seed dispersion among fragments.

Sistema de reprodução em Caesalpinia echinata Lam. implantada em arboreto experimental

The mating system of Caesalpinia echinata Lam. implanted in arboretum was studied by allozymes analysis of progeny arrays using the mixed-mating model and correlated-mating model. Deviations from mixed-mating model were observed from heterogeneity of pollen pools allele frequencies that fertilized different trees. The multilocus outcrossing rate was high (tm = 0.969), indicating that the species is predominantly allogamous. The high variation observed in the individual outcrossing rate (tranged from 0.77 to 1.00) shows that the species is not auto-incompatible. It was detected significant positive difference between multilocus and single locus outcrossing rate suggesting that biparental inbreeding has occurred (tm - ts = 0.078). High value of paternity correlation was detected (rp = 0.822), demonstrating that families are composed by full sibs, mainly. The coefficient of coancestry within families (qxy = 0.269) was higher than expected in half-sibs families (0.125). The results are discussed in the viewpoint of the sampling to genetic conservation and environmental recovering.

Genetic diversity of Couratari multiflora and Couratari guianensis (Lecythidaceae): consequences of two types of rarity in central Amazonia

We quantified the within-population genetic variation of Couratari multiflora and C. guianensis, two tree species found in terra firme forests of central Amazonia. Both species have some ecological features in common, but they differ in population abundance across their geographic ranges. While C. multiflora has been found only in low-density populations in all sites studied to date, C. guianensis is relatively common in some sites and very scarce in others. In a 400-ha plot, we found 41 and 29 adults of C. multiflora and C. guianensis, respectively. Twenty-two saplings of C. guianensis and 103 seedlings of C. multiflora were also examined. The mean expected heterozygosities (Hem) of seedlings and adults of C. multiflora were 0.431 and 0.436, and the mean fixation indices (Fm), 0.114 and 0.176, respectively. For C. guianensis, saplings and adults presented Hem equal to 0.425 and 0.429, and the Fm were 0.393 and 0.527, respectively. These low-density populations of two congeneric species did not differ in terms of genetic diversity, but rather they differed in terms of mean observed heterozygosity (Hom), and therefore Fm. The species with variable population density had lower Hom and greater Fm relative to the species that is always found in low-density.

Temporal stability of multivariate genetic divergence in cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) in Southern Bahia conditions

Stability of the genetic divergence among five non-commercial cacao cultivars at advanced ages was investigated over a five-year period (1986–1990). Cluster analysis was performed on five yield components measured on harvests from each crop year and on the data pooled over five years. The temporal stability was assessed by using clustering procedure, which involved the calculation Mahalanobis distance (D2) and of Tochers algorithm applied to the distance matrix. The comparison of D2 and of clusters based upon pooled analysis, and taken as the standard, with D2 values and clusters obtained from each year showed a stable clustering pattern in the most favourable year. For the rest of the years, inconsistency in number and composition of clusters formed was observed. An optimum environment was shown to be important for better expressing divergence by D2. Consequently, the evaluation of the genetic divergence among the studied cultivars may be conducted based on a single favourable year. This will result in considerable savings in man power, financial resources, and time which would be wasted should the evaluation be extended for several years.

Development of microsatellite markers for Qualea grandiflora (Vochysiaceae), a typical species of the Brazilian cerrado

PREMISE OF THE STUDYnMicrosatellite primers were developed to investigate genetic diversity and population structure of Qualea grandiflora, a typical species of the Brazilian cerrado.nnnMETHODS AND RESULTSnEight microsatellite loci were isolated using an enrichment cloning protocol. These loci were tested on a population of 110 individuals of Q. grandiflora collected from a cerrado fragment in São Paulo State, Brazil. The loci polymorphism ranges from seven to 19 alleles and the average heterozygosity value is 0.568, while the average polymorphic information content is 0.799.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe developed markers were found to be highly polymorphic, indicating their applicability to studies of population genetic diversity in Q. grandiflora.

Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for Cedrela fissilis Vell (Meliaceae), an endangered tropical tree species

Abstract The timber of the Neotropical tree Cedrela fissilis is used in construction, shipbuilding, carpentry and for medical purposes. In this study, polymorphic microsatellite (SSR) markers derived from an enriched genomic library were characterized using 120 adult trees from four different C. fissilis populations. No substantial genotypic linkage disequilibrium was detected among all possible pairs of SSR loci. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 20, the average allele number ranged from 8 to 9.7, depending on the population. The observed heterozygosity among the different SSR loci varied from 0.0 to 1.00 , the expected heterozygosity varied from 0.07 to 0.95 On the population level, the average observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.50 to 0.63 and from 0.64 to 0.70, respectively. The average fixation index among populations ranged from 0.09 to 0.24. Thus, the SSR loci revealed high poly - morphism rates and can be used to study the genetic diversity,structure, mating system, and gene flow in C. fissilis.