Through multivariate techniques the phenetic divergence among clones of cactus forage was evaluated, in an experiment installed at Experimental Station of the Empresa Pernambucana de Pesquisa Agropecuária - IPA, Caruaru - PE. The experimental design was a complete block design, with three blocks. The treatments were 19 clones of cactus forage of the Bank of Germoplasma of IPA. It was measured: a) measures in cladodios, according to the order: length, width, thickness, number and weight of the green matter; b) measures by plant: thorn presence, number of cladodios for order and total, total height, infestation for cochineal and weight of the green matter. It was applied the univariate analyses of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate (MANOVA), the canonical variables (CV) and cluster analysis (CA). In ANOVA difference were verified among the averages of clones. Differences among vectors of averages of clones were detected by means of MANOVA. It was possible to reduce the original dimensionality for two dimensions, that explained of 85.03% of the total variation, by applicating VC. The infestation percentage by cochineal was considered a characteristics susceptible to discard. In CA was discriminated nine group. In the studied conditions, the characteristic infestation percentage for cochineal should not be included in the study of the genetic diversity; the characteristics of larger discrimination were thickness average for cladodio primary, secondary and tertiary, number of primary cladodio and medium weights of green matter for secondary and tertiary cladodio, in a program of crossing of cactus forage, it must be considered the group of clones and the clone performance as characteristics with higher agronomic relevance and animal science.
cluster; canonical; variables
