Genetic structure of natural Eugenia dysenterica DC (Myrtaceae) populations in northeastern Goiás, Brazil, accessed by morphological traits and RAPD markers

The Brazilian Cerrado (Savannah) is a biome with great biodiversity. Many of the species found in this biome have unlimited economic potential and are used by the local population for various purposes. With the opening of the agricultural frontiers in this region, much of the native flora has been replaced by extensive areas of monocultures. Thirteen populations of the Eugenia dysenterica DC species were sampled in the northeast of the state of Goiás, Brazil, to analyze their genetic structure. Morphological traits were measured for all the progeny obtained and some of them were analyzed by using RAPD markers. The natural populations of the species showed high levels of variability for the morphological traits. The phenotypic, genotypic and genetic variabilities as structured in these populations were highly significant among populations, although most of the variability was detected within populations. The phenotypic and genetic variabilities were structured spatially as shown by the positive and highly significant correlation coefficients between the phenotypic and genetic distance matrixes and the geographic distance matrix. The ideal conservation strategy for the species in the region requires sampling of a high number of individuals of each population and also a significant number of populations to ensure suitable effective population sizes