Early selection in the coffee progenies of “Hibrido de Timor” x “Catuaí Amarelo” and “Catuaí Vermelho” - DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v26i1.1969

Abstract

This research observed four methods to evaluate the efficiency of the early selection for yield correlations among: annual production, accumulated production and repeatability coefficient, which quantifies the genotype relative position consistency during the successive evaluations. Twenty eight progenies of Coffea Arabica in F₃ generation were used, originated from crossings among the “Híbrido de Timor” descendants and cultivars of “Catuaí Amarelo” and “Catuaí Vermelho”. The complete randomized block design was used with six replications and four plants per plot and data were obtained in four initial harvests. The repeatability (r) of bean yield was higher, on the average, and showed a narrow range among estimates (r=0.39 to 0.48), when considering the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th combined harvests. Among the methods used to estimate the repeatability coefficient, the main component technique based on the phenotypic correlation matrix was the most adequate, and resulted r=0.48 as well as a determination coefficient of 0.74. Therefore, an early selection needs great care. The correlations indicate that one could start such selection from the second harvest on, using a softer selection