**2. The Serro Azul landrace: parental genotypes and segregating populations**

Serro Azul is a landrace that was so named by local farmers living in the countryside of the small municipality of Cunha, in São Paulo state, Brazil. From the search along the distinct farms at that area, De Oliveira et al. [11] were able to collect seeds with three main patterns of colors such as gray background with black strips (Serro Azul Malhado—SAM), light brown with glossy seed coat (Serro Azul Brilhante—SAB) and dark gray with dull seed coat (Serro Azul Fosco—SAF). Interestingly, at one of the farms, from a fresh sample of SAF seeds collected (approximately 1 kg), only 10 seeds presented the SAB pattern (**Figure 1A** shows the phenotypes of SAB and SAF). Seeds with the SAB pattern were crossed to the SAF pattern and the reciprocal as well, and populations were advanced to F<sup>4</sup> generation, revealing consistent patterns of segregation for seed glossiness and color [12].

Serro Azul has been the object of a few studies, considering its importance to local farmers and the need of improving its productivity. It has been subjected to many diseases, such as anthracnose, and pests. De Oliveira et al. [11] and De Oliveira and Tsai [13] showed low yield from this variety from experiments performed at different farms in Cunha, SP, when no fertilizer was applied. This treatment represented the traditional way that farmers cultivated this landrace at their farms. However, when a sort of fertilizer treatments were applied in soil cultivated with this variety, along with one commercial standard at the time (IAC-Carioca 80SH), the yield was significantly improved from around 930 kg ha−1 (without fertilizer) to 1360 kg ha−1 (fertilizer application along with lime and foliar spray of molybdenum) [13].
