Morphological and physicochemical descriptors for characterization of mangaba tree germplasm

The objective of this study was to evaluate and select morphological and physicochemical descriptors for the characterization of mangaba tree germplasm. We used 30 descriptors in 54 plants from 10 accesses in the fruiting stage (CA, AB, PT, PR, TC, PA, LG, BI, IP and AD) from the Active Germplasm Bank of Embrapa Coastal Tablelands located in the Experimental Field of Itaporanga d'Ajuda, Sergipe, Brazil, faithful trustee of the species. The diversity was verified between and within the accesses, however, without direct relation with its origins. The mean vitamin C content was considered high (394.45 mg/100g) and there was no difference between the accesses. There was a significant difference for most descriptors related to the growth of the plants and the physicochemical characteristics of the fruits. The results are important for the conservation actions of the species and individuals selection for future improvement programs.