MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF 21 MUSACEAE ACCESSIONS COLLECTED IN THE NGÄBE-BUGLE REGION, PANAMA

Abstract

In the Ngäbe-Buglé Comarca (CNB) there is a great diversity of Musa species, being one of the most important permanent crops for the food security of these communities. The aim of the study was to evaluate and preserve musacea cultivars collected in the CNB and to determine the phenotypic variability in 21 accessions through a morphological characterization and classifying it into groups. For the study, the standardized descriptors for banana and plantain were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis. Greater variability was found in the structures that make up the flower and the fruit, the quantitative descriptors being the most representative (CV>25%) and in the qualitative descriptors spots stand out at the base of the petiole, a structure that makes up the male bud, the position, appearance, color and flavor of the fruit. The principal component analysis explains a cumulative variability of 77% in the quantitative variables and 70.3% in the qualitative ones, determining a total of 29 variables (14 quantitative and 15 qualitative) with greater discriminating power (coefficient ≥0.60). The combined cluster analysis allowed the accessions to be grouped into four statistically different groups (MANOVA; P<0.0001) and their phenotypic characteristics. Characters such as plant height, pseudostem aspect, blade width and length, male bud aspect, pulp color before and after ripening, fruit shape and length, and its flavor were the most discriminating variables they helped separate the groups.