HERITABILITY, REPEATABILITY, AND GENETIC GAINS IN A IMPROVEMENT POPULATION OF CAJUÍZEIRO

ABSTRACT Cajuí (Anacardium spp) is an endemic fruit trees species in the Northeastern region of Brazil. Thus, this trial aimed to estimate the repeatability coefficients of the agrotechnological variables and to predict the genetic gains of a cajuí improvement population located at the Embrapa Meio-Norte. The data of twelve variables from every crop were evaluated using Selegen-REML/BLUP. The variables were ordered accordingly: V1 fruit mass (FM, in g), V2 peduncle mass (PM, in g), V3 chestnut mass (CM in g), V4 basal diameter (BD in cm), V5 apical diameter (AD in cm), V6 fruit length (FL in cm), V7 firmness of endosperm (FIRM, in N), V8 content of vitamin C (PVC in %), V9 total soluble solids (TSS in %), V10 pH of endosperm (pH), V11 total titratable acidity (TTA in %), and V12 relation TSS/TTA (undimensional). The fruit mass and its vitamin C contents can be estimated from measures of the fruit basal diameter and/or peduncle length, which are easy to be taken and measured experimentally. The medium and high estimates of the repeatability coefficient allowed for the early selection of the genotype 4 with accuracy from the two measures (years). The genotype 4 showed the best prediction means for physical and technological attributes and may be considered a possible candidate for asexual reproduction on crops with double purpose (fresh consumption and industrial)