The agromorphological and isoenzimatic descriptors were used to classify peanut infraespecific genotypes by principal components analysis. Twenty three descriptors were utilized, among them, eleven were morphologic, nine agronomic and three molecular ones. Based on the results of principal components analysis, it was verified that the main morphological descriptors were botany type, pigmentation of main stem, inflorescence pattern, pod maturation, leaflets colour, growth habit, seed colour and hairiness; the main agronomic descriptors were blomming, 100 seeds weigh, number of pods/plant, ‘pops’ and seeds yield. As to combined morphological and agronomic descriptors it was verified that ‘pops’, number of seeds/pod, number of pods/plant, seeds yield, pod size and botany type gave greatest contribution. In relation to molecular analysis, no relation was verified between band patterns and botany types of the genotypes, however, it was reported that the similarity based on the agromorphological descriptors of the Valencia genotypes should correspond to that one found on pattern of the molecular systems.
Arachis hypogaea; germplasm; principal components; electrophoresis
