Uncovering morphometric, germination, and genetic divergence patterns in Euterpe edulis for breeding and conservation applications

Euterpe edulis exhibits significant ecological, social, and economic potential, comparable to E. oleracea, for both the fresh fruit pulp market and industrial applications as a natural pigment. The commercial management of E. edulis fruits is economically promising; however, further studies are required to support improvement, conservation, and propagation programs. In this study, we aimed to assess the genetic control of key traits by estimating variance components, genetic parameters, and the associative relationships between fruit morphometric traits, seed characteristics, and seedling emergence using Pearson correlation and path analysis. Additionally, we quantified the genetic divergence among E. edulis accessions. Thirteen phenotypic traits and eight microsatellite markers were analyzed in 72 genotypes from different origins. High heritability values (ranging from 0.75 to 0.99) were observed for fruit, seed, and emergence traits, whereas morphophysiological growth traits exhibited lower heritability estimates. Genetic correlations of up to 0.88 were detected among fruit morphometric traits. Seedling basal diameter and leaf area had direct positive effects on the seedling quality index, while seedling height exerted a direct negative effect. Genetic divergence analysis demonstrated the efficiency of sampling genotypes from different origins to preserve the species' genetic variability. These findings provide insights to guide the establishment of germplasm collections in the field, maximizing the potential for genetic recombination among divergent genotypes and offering a solid foundation for future studies employing expanded molecular resources to explore trait architecture more deeply.