Caracterização das diferenças morfológicas e estruturais em euterpe oleracea mart. variedades preto, branco e espada através do teste de progênie.

Abstract

The açaí palm is considered the species of greatest food and socioeconomic importance to the riverine populations of the Amazon estuary. The existence of information about other possible species of the genus Euterpe in the floodplain ecosystem can be an alternative for the minimization of the predatory process and economic possibilities. The objective of the research was to determine morphological and anatomical differences by progeny testing in varieties of açaí (black, white and sword). They collected seeds from 5 matrices per variety and put them to germinate in yellow latossolo, medium texture and at experimental level distributed in 5 repetitions. After 90 days, they adopted the following parameters for analysis: (1) Germination potential, radicle length, caulicle and leaflet number and (2) freehand histological cuts in root and leaf. The results showed that there were no significant morphological differences between the varieties, however, the açaí sword showed greater germination precocity. The histological sections did not show differences among varieties, since all roots are constituted of angular collenchyma, aerenchyma, intercalary xylem and phloem; the leaves of abaxial and adaxial epidermis glabrous and paracitic stomata with higher frequency in the abaxial epidermis and it was found that the folds of the pinnules are rich in fibrovascular bundles with only one type of parenchyma. Based on the morphological and anatomical evidence evaluated at the level of comparison between black açaí and the two other varieties, it can be stated that the differences are insufficient to define them as new species of the genus.