Assessing Genetic Diversity in Landraces of Cucurbita spp. Using a Morphological and Molecular Approaches

摘要: Agriculture can only be considered as sustainable if it includes a suitable system of plant genetic resources conservation. Crop conservation is an insurance against risks to food security. The landraces stand important for breeders due its genotypic variability. In Portugal, the production Cucurbita based in old local cultivars and mainly self-consumption (human or feed) sale on markets. To evaluate diversity 54 C. pepo, 32 maxima 21 moschata populations collected Northern inner center 20 morphological traits from Minimum Descriptors spp. six microsatellites were used. that registered highest mean values fruit length, skin thickness seed weight, width 100 weight flesh populations. ANOVA revealed significant differences (P<0.05) all traits, with exception parameter. PCA showed three most informative PC explained 52.5% total variation clear separation species. molecular analysis SSR markers polymorphism 100%. Ho He average 0.316 0.447, respectively. PIC 0.688. hierarchical Curcubita PCoA 66.3% clearly separated species studied. high found this Portuguese collection provides relevant information useful breeding programs.