Genetic divergence between passion fruit hybrids and reciprocals based on seedling emergence and vigor

Abstract: Characteristics related to seed quality have been rarely used in studies on the genetic diversity of passion fruit. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity between progenies constituted by hybrids and reciprocals, based on seed emergence and vigor traits. On the 28th day, emergence percentage, emergence speed index, shoot length, root length and total length of seedling; dry weight, number of normal seedlings and 100-seed weight were evaluated in a completely randomized design experiment with 20 progenies (hybrids and reciprocals) and four replications (50 seeds). Genetic diversity was determined using the Tocher optimization clustering methods and the unweighted pair group method, based on the Mahalanobis distance, as well as evaluating the relative contribution of the traits to genetic divergence and the correlation network, according to the relations between groups of quality, length and mass variables. The most contributing variable to genetic divergence was the total length of seedlings, the reciprocal effect did not present a consistent pattern in the studied hybrid combinations.