The study of the botanical group Arecaceae is of extreme interest for evolving several endangered species of plants and for presenting a great potential of economical exploration. The Pindo palm (or wine palm, jelly palm) (Butia capitata (Mart.) Becc.) is natural from the south of Brazil. Its molecular characterization is of extreme interest for future researches of genetic improvement. Since little is known about the variability of the species, the existent genetic variability was verified among twenty-two genotypes of Pindo palm (or wine palm, jelly palm), from BAG (Germoplasm Assets Bank) of fruit trees native from the Agricultural Center of the Palma - UFPEL, which were analyzed using markers RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) with Operon Technologies' decamers primers. With 21 primers, 136 bands were obtained, from which 77 were polymorphic, being the marker OPA11 the most polymorphic, producing 9 different marks. The grouping analysis was accomplished by the separation method of the accesses in two groups. Although a small primers number was used, great genetic variability was verified among the genotypes, and they have all been originated from seeds collected in a single geographical area. Markers RAPD are useful in the estimate of the genetic variability among the Pindo palm (or wine palm, jelly palm) genotypes.
Butia capitata Mart.; molecular markers; genetic variability; fingerprinting
