<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<italic>Euterpe precatoria</italic> is a Neotropical palm from South and Central America and is hyperdominant in Amazonia, where it is increasingly important in the Brazilian market for açaí. Genetic diversity, population structure and mating system of <italic>E. precatoria</italic> were characterized with 10 microsatellite markers in three localities (Codajás, Manacapuru, and Manaquiri) along the lower Solimões River, Amazonas, Brazil. Leaves of 63 mature palms were collected, as well as fruits from 30 of these to analyze 20 seedlings per progeny. Genetic differentiation across localities was substantial (<italic>G</italic>S′ = 0.304) for mature palms, suggesting that gene flow is restricted between localities due to isolation by distance. Inbreeding was significant in progenies from all populations (ranging from 0.059–0.076), but not for mature palms, suggesting selection for heterozygosity during maturation to the adult stage. The outcrossing rate was high (0.917–1.0), confirming that the species is predominantly allogamous. Matings were not random due to the occurrence of biparental inbreeding (0.021–0.079) and correlated matings (0.059–0.424), so open-pollinated progenies present mixtures of self-sibs, half-sibs, full-sibs, and self-half-sibs, resulting in mean effective population size within progenies (2.23–3.06) lower than expected for a random mating population. The mating system’s characteristics are those expected in a predominantly allogamous hyper-abundant palm and suggest that human management of these often-anthropogenic populations is unlikely to reduce genetic diversity in the short term if done <italic>in situ</italic>, as practiced by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Intensification will require careful attention to maintain genetic diversity.
</abstract>

Euterpe precatoria is a Neotropical palm from South and Central America and is hyperdominant in Amazonia, where it is increasingly important in the Brazilian market for açaí. Genetic diversity, population structure and mating system of E. precatoria were characterized with 10 microsatellite markers in three localities (Codajás, Manacapuru, and Manaquiri) along the lower Solimões River, Amazonas, Brazil. Leaves of 63 mature palms were collected, as well as fruits from 30 of these to analyze 20 seedlings per progeny. Genetic differentiation across localities was substantial (GS′ = 0.304) for mature palms, suggesting that gene flow is restricted between localities due to isolation by distance. Inbreeding was significant in progenies from all populations (ranging from 0.059–0.076), but not for mature palms, suggesting selection for heterozygosity during maturation to the adult stage. The outcrossing rate was high (0.917–1.0), confirming that the species is predominantly allogamous. Matings were not random due to the occurrence of biparental inbreeding (0.021–0.079) and correlated matings (0.059–0.424), so open-pollinated progenies present mixtures of self-sibs, half-sibs, full-sibs, and self-half-sibs, resulting in mean effective population size within progenies (2.23–3.06) lower than expected for a random mating population. The mating system’s characteristics are those expected in a predominantly allogamous hyper-abundant palm and suggest that human management of these often-anthropogenic populations is unlikely to reduce genetic diversity in the short term if done in situ, as practiced by Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Intensification will require careful attention to maintain genetic diversity.

Genetic diversity and mating system of <italic>Euterpe precatoria</italic> in three localities along the lower Solimões River in Central Amazonia

Silvae Genetica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Genetic diversity and mating system of  in three localities along the lower Solimões River in Central Amazonia

Euterpe precatoria is a Neotropical palm from South and Central America and is hyperdominant in Amazonia, where it is increasingly important in the Brazilian...

Genetic diversity and mating system of Euterpe precatoria in three localities along the lower Solimões River in Central Amazonia

Publicado en línea: 11 jul 2023

Páginas: 81 - 91

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sg-2023-0008

Palabras clave
açaí-do-amazonas, genetic structure, hyperdominance, inbreeding, microsatellites, outcrossing rate

© 2023 Poliana Perrut-Lima et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Genetic diversity and mating system of Euterpe precatoria in three localities along the lower Solimões River in Central Amazonia

Publicado en línea: 11 jul 2023

Páginas: 81 - 91

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sg-2023-0008

Palabras claveaçaí-do-amazonas, genetic structure, hyperdominance, inbreeding, microsatellites, outcrossing rate

© 2023 Poliana Perrut-Lima et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Palabras clave
açaí-do-amazonas, genetic structure, hyperdominance, inbreeding, microsatellites, outcrossing rate