Genetic variability correlation by biochemical seed compounds of a natural population ofAcrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart. (Arecaceae)

Acrocomia aculeata is a species widely found in the Brazilian Cerrado, with significant economic and environmental potential. It is used for biofuels, construction, human and animal nutrition, and recovery of degraded areas. Evaluating the genetic variability of natural populations is crucial for characterizing A. aculeata seeds through the selection and correlation of their chemical compounds, such as starch, carbohydrates, lipids, micronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S), and reserve proteins. Seeds were collected from 30 open-pollinated matrix trees in a degraded area of the former “Engenheiro Sergio Motta” Hydroelectric Power Plant construction site in Rosana, São Paulo, Brazil. Statistical analyses, based on a randomized block design with 30 progenies and four replications, examined 13 characteristics by mean, variance, and standard deviation. Genetic correlations, divergence by the Generalized Mahalanobis Distance (D²), grouping by the Tocher Optimization Method, and the Mulamba & Mock index were estimated, revealing five distinct groups of individuals (84% in the first group, 7% in the second, and 3% in each of the three subsequent groups). The Mulamba & Mock index indicated satisfactory results for selection aimed at increasing biochemical compounds, highlighting the genetic variability of the population and potential sources for future breeding and conservation programs.