Genetic structure from the oldest Jatropha germplasm bank of Brazil and contribution for the genetic improvement

Abstract

Jatropha is a potential oilseed crop, which requires mitigating factors such as the low genetic variability of the species. The solution runs through the research of Brazilian germplasm. Attention should be given to the germplasm of jatropha the north of Minas Gerais, because this is the oldest national collection and because this region may be a regions of jatropha diversity due to selection pressure arising from environmental adversities. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of 48 accessions of collection from Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), using SSR and ISSR markers. The results showed low genetic diversity, but some individuals stood out as J. mollissima (48), J. podagrica (47), Mexican accessions (42, 43, 44 and 45) and some national accessions (28, 29, 41 and 46). Therefore, aiming to increase the genetic variability and improve the effectiveness of jatropha breeding programs, it is suggested to explore such as parental accessions to generate commercial hybrids. This fact implies the possibility to support future production of jatropha, since this culture may be an important source of income, especially for small farmers living in semiarid regions of Brazil.