Sweet passion fruit (Passiflora alata Curtis) is gaining importance in the in natura fruit market due to differential value. Genetic breeding is crucial to improve crop quality and productivity. Molecular markers of DNA have been very useful by allowing obtaining a virtually unlimited number of genetic polymorphism without environment influence. This work's objective was to study the genetic variability of 17 sweet passion fruit accesses, using RAPD molecular markers. One access of P. quadrangularis and another of P. edulis were used as outgroups. Genomic DNA samples of each one of them were extracted and 11 decamers primers (OPD 04, 07, 08 e16; OPE 18 and 20; OPF 01 and 14; OPG 08; OPH 12 and 16) were used to obtain the markers. The markers have been converted into a matrix of binary data, used as base to estimate genetic distances between accesses and to perform grouping and graphic dispersion analysis. From the total amount of markers, considering only P. alata accesses, it was observed 87 (62.12%) polymorphic bands, showing great intraspecific variability. Grouping analysis based on genetic distances allowed to subdivide 17 P. alata accesses in, at least, five groups of genetic similarity. The wild accesses contributed the most to the genetic basis expansion of the studied materials, opening good prospects for their use in breeding programs.
Passiflora alata Curtis; biotechnology; genetic breeding
