KERAGAMAN DAN ANALISIS KEKERABATAN 30 JENIS BEGONIA BERDASARKAN KARAKTER MORFOLOGI

The living collection of Begonia in the Bogor Botanic Gardens has been used in hybridization to produce new varieties. This study aimed to describe the morphological characters, diversity, and relationship between species. The research was arranged in a randomized complete design with three replications. Observations included 39 qualitative and eight quantitative variables. Differences between species were tested using the F test at 5% and 1% significance level, followed by Duncan's Multiple Range tests. The relationship between genotypes were analyzed using cluster analysis, and principal component analysis by SPSS version 23. Analysis of variance showed that species significantly affected all quantitative characters. Principal components analysis on 30 Begonia species showed four components with initial eigenvalues >1. This value obtained from the reduction of 13 variables, and explained 65.50% diversity. Cluster analysis showed that the 30 Begonia species were clustered into six groups. The Begonia breeding program at Bogor Botanic Gardens referred to the classification of Begonias with ornamental foliage. Begonia species recommended for use for further breeding program are B. holocericeoides, B. kudoensis, and B. rex from group I; B. puspitae from group II; B. coriaceae from group V; and B. masoniana from group VI.