Abstract
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to characterize and estimate genetic divergence among twelve specimens of the Sansevieria genus from the collection of the Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI). A completely randomized experimental design was used with three replicates, and the plot consisted of four plants. In morphological characterization, qualitative and quantitative descriptors of leaves were evaluated. Genetic divergence among the specimens was determined by the Tocher clustering method and the hierarchical UPGMA. There is genetic variation among specimens evaluated, which was also expressed by the variability of colors, shapes, and sizes of the leaves. The Tocher clustering method and the hierarchical UPGMA were effective in differentiation of the specimens from multi-categorical qualitative descriptors, as the Tocher method grouped the accessions in two groups and the UPGMA in seven different groups. We highlight the accessions SSV 09 and SSV 10 as exhibiting the highest mean values in weekly leaf growth and in leaf height, important characteristics for local sale and for export.
Highlights
Ornamental plants are economically important for the horticulture industry, admired throughout the world, and valued for their aesthetic properties (MITROFANOVA; ZAKUBANSKIY; MITROFANOVA, 2018)
It is a cosmopolitan genus, with Eastern Africa as its center of origin (NEWTON, 2018). Their diversity in shape is quite surprising, ranging from miniscule plants, some with strong pointed leaves and others that are delicate and flat, up to formidable shrubs of 2 to 4 meters height. They are interesting plants recommended for urban landscaping due to their hardiness and characteristic shape of their leaves (BALDWIN; WEBB, 2016)
In the absence of morphological descriptors defined for the Sansevieria genus, morphological characterization was based on characteristics described for the Sansevieria trifasciata Prain “Hahnii” species and vascular plants (GILMAN, 1999)
Summary
Ornamental plants are economically important for the horticulture industry, admired throughout the world, and valued for their aesthetic properties (MITROFANOVA; ZAKUBANSKIY; MITROFANOVA, 2018). The expansion of ornamental plants in the production sector, especially in Brazil, directly depends on the introduction of new items on the market This basically occurs through plant breeding studies, with the creation of new cultivars or with the introduction and selection of new materials with favorable characteristics (BIONDI; LEAL, 2019; JUNQUEIRA; PEETZ, 2014; NASCIMENTO; GRAZIANO; LOPES, 2003). Growth habit, and data regarding biology of species are of fundamental importance to define strategies in breeding programs. Such practices aim at creating conditions favorable to plant development, and visual quality is an important criterion for consumers that look for plants with immediate decorative effects (GARBEZ et al, 2017; OLIVEIRA et al, 2017). This type of characterization should consider botanical descriptors of high heritability, easy measurement, and little genotype x environment interaction (COSTA et al, 2015; MELO et al, 2016)
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