This study was carried out at Embrapa-Semi-Árido, Juazeiro (Brazil), from August to December 1993. This study aimed at evaluating, by multivariate analysis techniques, the genetic diversity of 40 squash accessions, collected from distinct areas of the Northeast Region of Brazil. The experimental design was of randomized complete blocks with three replications. The data (average) were collected from eight plants per plot. The following traits were evaluated: internode length, stem diameter, petiole length, leaf length and width, number of days to the first male and female flower, node number of the first male and female flower, fruit length and width, largest and smallest fruit diameter, skin and flesh thickness, internal cavity diameter, total soluble solids, dry matter content, number of seeds per fruit, seed length, 100 seed weight, and number of seeds per gram. The data were analyzed using canonic variable and Tocher cluster analysis, adopting Mahalanobis (D²ii') general distance. It was observed that 65% of the accessions were clustered in a group. The dispersion results, based on the first four canonic variables (71% of total variability), did not permit a correlation between genetic diversity and ecogeographic origin. These results agree with those obtained by the cluster analysis. The most important characteristics to explain the variability were: seed length, the largest fruit diameter, fruit length, node number for the first male flower, stem diameter, number of days for the first female flower, internode length, fruit weight, total soluble solids, and number of seeds per gram. The B4, B5, P31 and P34 accessions might be recommended for breeding programs aiming to improve the soluble solid (12.50%) and dry matter contents (higher than 15%), and low fruit weight (less than 3 kg).
Cucurbita moschata; canonical variables; cluster analysis; multivariate analysis; plant characteristics; fruit characteristics; seed characteristics
