Cultivar-Groups in Cucurbita maxima Duchesne: Diversity and Possible Domestication Pathways

Domesticated Cucurbita has been remarked as one of the plant genera with highest diversity in color, shape and fruit dimensions. Their economic cultural values are related to consumption mature or immature fruits, seeds, flowers, use decoration. The wild ancestor C. maxima, ssp. andreana an actual scattered disjointed distribution, associated megafauna seed disperser syndrome. It was domesticated South America around 9000–7000 years BP. cultivar-group is a subspecific category for assembling cultivars on basis defined similarity. work describes pictures nine cultivar-groups species, Banana, Turban, Hubbard, Show, Buttercup, Zapallito, Plomo, Zipinka Nugget. molecular morphological join data analysis scatter biplot showed Turban Buttercup central position, suggesting first step domestication pathway consumption; afterward, bigger bearing fruits groups were selected their flesh quality hand, bush type, short day induction temperate climate adaptation other hand. striking Brazilian accession MAX24 intermediate between cultigens strengthens, concordance archeological remains, possible place species more easternward than previously believed.