Morphological diversity of chiquitanian almond seeds (Dipteryx alata Vogel), in the municipalities of Concepción, San Ignacio de Velasco, and San Antonio de Lomerío, Santa Cruz, Bolivia

Abstract

The Chiquitanian almond (Dipteryx alata Vogel) is considered a key species for promoting socioeconomic development and environmental conservation in the Chiquitania region because of the valuable nutritional content of its fruits and seeds. Some Brazilian and Bolivian authors point out that there is a wide morphological diversity in seed production within its natural range. However, in Bolivia, no specific studies still describe the different morphological traits. For this reason, a study was carried out to determine seeds' diversity and morphological variability in San Ignacio de Velasco, Concepción, and San Antonio de Lomerío in the Chiquitano region. For this purpose, seeds were collected from 110 trees morphologically characterized according to quantitative and qualitative variables, and analyzed through descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis with Infostat software. The results showed that seeds measure an average of 2.4 cm in length and weigh 2.2 g, are ovoid to oval in shape, with a rough to smooth surface, and are generally brown to dark brown. Cluster analysis grouped seeds into four groups according to their similar morphological traits in terms of size and weight. The Principal component analysis determined 68 % morphological variability in the variables studied. Finally, based on the variables with the greatest contribution to the study (length and weight), 16 outstanding morphotypes (seeds) were identified, allowing users to quantify and collect morphotypes of productive and commercial interest, making adequate use, to plan in the short, medium and long term.