The umbu-cajazeira is a fruit crop that occurs in all states of the Brazilian semi-arid Northeast region, usually scattered in anthropic areas, producing fruits that are used for fresh consumption, or processed into juices and pulp. The potential yield of this species is still unknown, since little is known about its variability regarding fruit characteristics, the main commercial structure of interest. The main objective of this study was to evaluate this variability within three populations in the State of Bahia, Brazil, being possible, through morphometric and physical and chemical fruit characteristics using cluster analysis, to demonstrate that there is enough genetic diversity between individuals of this species in the sampled areas. Among these genotypes, the Vavazinho accession is recommended for fresh fruit consumption and the Campo Grande-5 accession is adequate for pulp processing.
Spondias; selection; genetic variability; plant breeding
