Variability and genetic correlations in arabic coffee cultivars

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the vegetative performance and to estimate the variability and genetic correlations in cultivars of tall arabic coffee. The experiment was carried out in the Experimental Station of the Pernambuco Research Institute-IPA, located in the Agreste region, municipality of Brejão, during 2003/2004 agricultural year. The experiment was set up in a randomized design, with four blocks and seven treatments. The phenological evaluations were made at 90, 180 and 360 days after planting. Icatu Precoce IAC 3282 and Mundo Novo IAC 376-4 coffee cultivars were the best ones concerning the vegetative development in the juvenile phase. There are possibilities of success in the selection of plants at 90, 180 and 360 days of growth, with taller plants, with characteristics of stem diameter for productivity, larger length of primary branches for larger ramification and larger
internodes number.