Stratified mass selection of promising Spondias mombin clones in a commercial crop

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters and identify promising clones of Spondias mombin in ungrafted commercial crop by stratified mass selection, based on the average of two harvests, using mixed models. The base population growing on a private farm in Teresina/PI comprised 82 plants, which were evaluated in the growing seasons 2008 and 2009. Total titratable acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (Brix), Brix/TTA, fruit weight (FW), seed weight (SW), pulp yield (PuY), and processing yield (PrY) were measured. Significant genetic variation among plants was detected for all traits. The coefficients of repeatability were 0.97 (TTA), 0.39 (Brix), 0.86 (Brix/TTA), 0.84 (FW), 0.82 (SW), 0.35 (PuY), and 0.39 (PrY). The chemical were generally not correlated with the physical fruit traits. Ranking by predicted phenotypic values associated with PrY and Brix/TTA identified nine promising plants (PrY>6.9% and Brix/TTA>10).