PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY IN FEIJOA FRUITS [Acca sellowiana (O. Berg.) Burret] ON INDIGENOUS LANDS, QUILOMBOLAS COMMUNITIES AND PROTECTED AREAS IN THE SOUTH OF BRAZIL

Phenotypic studies with native fruits are important sources of information for understanding the status of conservation of plant species, especially populations in protected areas (PAs). Fruits of 18 populations of feijoa [Acca sellowiana (O. Berg.) Burret] present in three kind of PAs, Quilombolas Communities (QLs), Indigenous Lands (ILs) and Conservation Units (CUs) were evaluated with the aim to characterize the phenotypic variability. Fruits were harvested at maturity and eight morphological descriptors were measured: diameter, length, total weight, pericarp weight, pulp weight, pericarp thickness, pulp yield and solid soluble contents (degrees Brix). The results revealed the existence of large morphological variability for all traits, with significant differences among all populations and among those populations grouped in QLs, TIs and UCs, particularly to the total weight and peel thickness. There was a clear formation of five major clusters of genetic dissimilarity. In addition, two Uruguayan type populations and 16 Brazilian type populations showed contrast means for most of the evaluated traits. The lower variability on fruit characters found in plants collected in areas of traditional people but not in CUs suggests the existence of selection processes of feijoa genotypes on those areas.