Abstract We evaluated the genetic diversity, coancestry and heritability of an E. benthamii trial. The 115 individuals were genotyped (13 SSR) and had their height and diameter at breast height (dbh) measured. Heritability was estimated using the RR-BLUP and the pairwise kinship coefficient method. An average of nine alleles per locus was observed. The expected heterozygosity (0.655) was similar to the observed heterozygosity, with the estimated inbreeding (0.02) being low. The group coancestry (0.051) demonstrates that the trees are related to some degree. The trees were clustered in five groups using the Evanno’s method. The average kinship within each group ranges from 0.042 to 0.082. The heritability estimated by RR-BLUP was low. The heritability estimated using the kinship coefficients is moderate, reaching estimated genetic gains of 14% for dbh. After knowing how genetic groups are distributed within the population, strategies for collecting, conserving, and using these germplasm resources can be performed.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is the fifth most produced oil crop worldwide. Besides lack of water, fungal diseases are the most limiting factors for the crop. Several species of Arachis are resistant to certain pests and diseases. This study aimed to successfully cross the A-genome with B-K-A genome wild species previously selected for fungal disease resistance, but that are still untested. We also aimed to polyplodize the amphihaploid chromosomes; cross the synthetic amphidiploids and A. hypogaea to introgress disease resistance genes into the cultivated peanut; and analyze pollen viability and morphological descriptors for all progenies and their parents. We selected 12 A-genome accessions as male parents and three B-genome species, one K-genome species, and one A-genome species as female parents. Of the 26 distinct cross combinations, 13 different interspecific AB-genome and three AA-genome hybrids were obtained. These sterile hybrids were polyploidized and five combinations produced tetraploid flowers. Next, 16 combinations were crossed between A. hypogaea and the synthetic amphidiploids, resulting in 11 different hybrid combinations. Our results confirm that it is possible to introgress resistance genes from wild species into the peanut using artificial hybridization, and that more species than previously reported can be used, thus enhancing the genetic variability in peanut genetic improvement programs.