Allozyme variation in spineless pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes Palmae)

Abstract

Allozyme variation was examined in three pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes) populations introduced into Hawaii for use in heart-of-palm improvement: Benjamin Constant (Putumayo landrace), San Carlos (Guatuso landrace) and Yurimaguas (Pampa Hermosa landrace). Nine enzymes encoded by 16 putative loci with a total of 38 alleles were resolved from meristem extract. Five loci were fixed in all populations, four additional loci were fixed in SC and one additional locus in BC. Six of the 38 alleles were rare, with three unique to BC and one to Y; two moderately high frequency alleles were unique to SC. Mean number of alleles per locus was lowest in SC (44) and highest in Y (69). Observed heterozygosity was lowest in SC (0.051) and BC (0.066) and highest in Y (0.141). Nei's genetic identity was 0.985 between BC and Y and averaged 0.952 between SC and BC-Y. The low heterozygosities are probably due to a long history of selection and inbreeding (sub-mating) during the domestication process, followed by intensive recent selection for spinelessness and more inbreeding. All populations are very closely related, suggesting a single domestication event in Amazonia.