USE OF MOLECULAR MARKERS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
SYSTEMS TO EVALUATE THE GENETIC AND ECOGEOGRAPHIC
VARIABILITY OF NATIVE PLANT SPECIES IN THE BRAZILIAN SAVANNAS
Fábio Gelape Faleiro, Cláudio Takao Karia, Ronaldo Pereira Andrade, Ana Maria
Costa, Nilton Tadeu Vilela Junqueira, Aílton Vitor Pereira, Elainy Botelho
Carvalho Pereira
Embrapa Cerrados, Caixa Postal 08223, 73301-970, Planaltina-DF. Brasil
The flora of the Brazilian Savanna region shows great botanical and genetic variability
and many of the native plant species have actual or potential economic use. This
variability is now threatened by predatory extractivism, unsustainable land use and
climate change. Knowledge about the intro and inter genetic variability of these native
plants will support effective conservation strategies and sustainable use of natural
resources in the region. This study shows how biotechnology and the Geographic
Information System (GIS) can be useful tools for characterization and monitoring of
genetic spatial variability of economically important plant species in Savanna Brazilian
region. DNA extraction methodology has been developed and successfully tested for
different native Savanna species such as pasture legumes (Stylosanthes guianensis
and S. macrocephala), fruit plants (Dipteryx alata Vog., Caryocar brasiliense Camb.,
Hancornia speciosa Gomez, Eugenia dysenterica Mart. ex DC. and Annona crassiflora
Mart.), oil production species (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd and medicinal species
(Dimorphandra mollis Benth. and Stryphnodendron barbadetimam (Vell.) Forrero)..
DNA analysis using molecular markers have several applications at Embrapa
Cerrados: identification of duplicated or redundant accessions in germplasm
collections, analysis of genetic purity in seeds, nomination of nuclear collections. It is
also an useful auxiliary tool for botanic classification, genetic diversity studies and
plant breeding programs. Integrated use of GIS and genetic diversity data has allowed
the identification of target areas (hot spots) of species with great diversity for the
collection orientation, practice of in situ conservation, for the establishment of core and
subset collections, and the identification of accessions with desirable agronomic
characteristics, such as high productivity, drought or illness resistance, and low soil
fertility tolerance. The association of molecular markers analysis with GIS data has
proved to be an important source of information about the whole conservation process
of conservation, and for the assessment and use of genetic resources. For example,
molecular characterization and variability analysis were done by RAPD molecular
markers (Random Amplified Polimorfic DNA) to several accessions of Stylosanthes
macrocephala, S. guianensis, Arachis pintoi, Hancornia speciosa etc. The genetic
diversity observed in the accessions showed the importance of these collections for
breeding programs. However, the molecular markers can not substitute another types
of genetic markers such as the morphological and agronomic ones. Beyond this, the
traditional phenotypic assessment taking into consideration the environmental effects
and the genotype X environment interactions will continue to be important and
essential for the effective utilization of genetic resources.