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Morfoagronomic diversity: Characterization of 650 trees of theobroma cacao L

Abstract:

Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) has a wide genetic diversity in Ecuador, the province of El Oro is one of the three provinces that registers areas of cultivation of fine and aroma cacao, studies that allow knowing the existing diversity of this species. The objective was to characterize in situ 650 trees that form the living cocoa collection of the Technical University of Machala, collected by the National Cocoa Program in 1979. For the characterization, 51 quantitative and qualitative morphoagronomic descriptions were used. The PCA analysis showed that the most discriminating descriptors were: leaf width (HA), Leaf length (LH), Pedicel anthocyanin intensity (PIC), Ovarian anthocyanin intensity (OIC), style (ESA), style length (ESL), ligule width (LA), pedicel width (SA), groove depth (FSP), ridge thickness (FCE), berry weight (FBP), length berry (FBL), which explain 20% of the total accumulated variance. In the cluster analysis using the hierarchical cluster method, the dendrogram was obtained, which shows ten large well-defined groups. A high phenotypic diversity is evidenced, 60 trees representing the diversity of the collection.