CROP WILD RELATIVES

This study evaluated the phenotypic representativeness of core collections generated independently with ecogeographical data or with morphological data. The Spanish Phaseolus vulgaris L. collection was the target germplasm collection, and one map of ecogeographical categories and 15 morphological variables were used to create core collections. Three ecogeographical and 12 morphological core collections were produced combining different grouping methods (categories from ecogeographical land characterization map [CEM], two-step clustering [TSC], Ward–modified location model clustering [WM], and unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average [UPGMA]) and allocation strategies (constant [C], proportional [P], logarithmic [L], and Gower's distance [D]). An additional morphological core collection was created using a modified least distance stepwise sampling (LDSSm) method. Core collections were evaluated with morphological data using parameters for qualitative and quantitative variables that were summarized in a new synthetic evaluation parameter (SEP). Synthetic evaluation parameter results showed that the ecogeographical core collections had high phenotypic representativeness, similar to that of morphological core collections generated by the combination of WM and TSC grouping methods and P allocation strategy. A graphical evaluation of core collections supported these results. In conclusion, ecogeographical information was confirmed as a good alternative or complement to other types of data to create reliable and representative core collections.