Este trabalho teve por objetivo identificar e selecionar genótipos parentais de acerola (Malpighia emarginata L.) adequadas a programas de melhoramento genético. Nove caracteres quantitativos de maior importância agronômica foram usados para determinação da distância genética e formação de grupos similares de acessos. O agrupamento pelo método de Tocher, a partir das distâncias generalizadas de Mahalanobis, possibilitou a divisão de 14 genótipos em três grupos. Com base na divergência genética e no caráter agronômico-chave (teor de vitamina C), destacaram-se como mais promissores os cruzamentos dos genótipos: AM Mole pertencente ao grupo III, com os genótipos PR AM, NO 18, PR 17, PR 16, Eclipse, AM 22 e Dominga, todos pertencentes ao grupo I.The objective of this study was to evaluate genotypes toward the identification of superior West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata L.) parents that produce high-performing progenies. Parents clones were evaluated in a completely randomized design with three replications and each plot consisted of three plants. Fourteen genotypes of West Indian Cherry were characterized in Londrina, PR, Brazil. Nine quantitative characters of bigger agronomic interest were used for determination of genetic distance and identification of similar groups among the genotypes. The grouping by the method, based on Mahalanobis generalized distance, made it possible to organize the 14 genotypes in three groups. The genetic divergence based on a key agronomic character (level of vitamin C) allowed to recommend the cross as of the following genotypes: amarela mole (group III) with genotypes PR AM, No 18, PR 17, PR 16, Eclipse, AM 22 and Dominga all of them group I
