Biometry of Pityrocarpa moniliformis seeds using digital imaging: implications for studies of genetic divergence

Abstract

Pityrocarpa moniliformis is a tree species with socioeconomic potential in semiarid regions. The objective of this work was to perform the biometry of P. moniliformis seeds with digital processing of images as subsidies for studies of genetic divergence. For this, we executed the biometric analysis of the seeds from 33 adult trees using digital image processing. Subsequently, descriptive and correlation analyses were performed between the biometric variables, as well as the multivariate analysis of principal components and the Euclidean distance. Digital image processing is efficient in assessing biometric differences among adult trees which vary in the morphological and biometric aspects. The biometric variables quantified employing digital images are efficient in the distinction of the adult trees. For this reason, they are important morphological markers that can aid in the differentiation of genotypes of P. moniliformis and contribute to studies of genetic divergence.