Multivariate analysis of  morphological characteristics of two species of passion flower with ornamental potential and of hybrids between them.
We  estimated genetic parameters through multivariate analysis of two species of Passiflora and their hybrids, considered of ornamental potential, based on the  morphological characteristics: flower diameter, corona diameter, corona  filament size, flower peduncle length, petal length and width, sepal length and  width, internode length, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width (mm), and leaf  area (cm(2)). Five  specimens of Passiflora sublanceolata [ex P. palmeri var. sublanceolata],  five of P. foetida var. foetida and 20 F(1) hybrids between  the two were evaluated. A randomized block design with four replications was  used. The data were submitted to variance analysis and multivariate procedures,  principal components analysis and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic  mean grouping. We found significant differences between genotypes for all these  morphological parameters. The hybrid plants had the highest variability, making  them the most indicated for future improvement programs. The various  multivariate techniques gave similar results, allowing separation of the plants  into three distinct groups, these being the two paternal species and the  hybrids. The hybrids were closer to the male genitors, revealing a paternal  effect on the inheritance of vegetative and floral characters. Based on  estimates of genetic parameters, the floral characteristics are the most  indicated for the selection of plants for ornamental purposes, since these  characteristics displayed greatest variability, a variation index of more than  one, and high genotypic determination coefficients.
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, BA, Brasil.
E A
EA
Santos
M M
MM
Souza
A P
AP
Viana
A A F
AA
Almeida
J C O
JC
Freitas
P R
PR
Lawinscky
D002678:Chimera / Q000235:genetics*; D035264:Flowers / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D029598:Passiflora / Q000235:genetics*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000235:genetics*; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity