DIVERGÊNCIA GENÉTICA E CAPACIDADE DE COMBINAÇÃO DE LINHAGENS DE MINITOMATE (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) DE DIFERENTES PROCEDÊNCIAS

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a vegetable of great importance in the world economy, as it is considered a fruit that is well accepted on the market and has high added value. In addition to high productivity, producers aim for cultivars with different characteristics, such as high levels of soluble solids (°Brix), size, shape and color of the fruit, which stand out in relation to the traditional standard. In-depth studies of genetic diversity are essential in defining more efficient strategies for exploiting available germplasm. The general objective of these experiments was to evaluate the genetic divergence between mini tomato lines and associate it with the ability to combine the agronomic characteristics of tomato hybrids. The specific objectives were to evaluate the genetic divergence between lineages using molecular and morphological markers, subsequently correlating with the respective country of origin; evaluate the ability to combine experimental mini tomato lines and hybrids from the UNICENTRO breeding program and correlate the results with the origin of the lines. In view of the above, carrying out these experiments allowed the development of new hybrids from crossings of different parents under the conditions of the central south region of Paraná. Obtaining strains with desirable haracteristics is an important step in the development of new hybrids, which are technological products with high added value, and it is of fundamental importance to know the origin of the strains in order to correlate the information. The morphological characteristics evaluated in the hybrids identify the combining capacity of the strains and the genetic divergence of the hybrids. With the use of molecular markers, it was possible to identify the differences that are genetically inherited between individuals by directly analyzing their DNA, using techniques that present phenotypic neutrality. The combination of morphological and molecular assessments complements each other, bringing more reliable results. Mini tomato germplasm banks are still under development, which is why more studies are needed in this area, to expand the genetic divergence of this variety and to develop cultivars that encompass as many desirable characteristics as possible.