JUVENILE-MATURE CORRELATIONS IN HEART OF PALM PLANTS

Juvenile-mature correlation coefficients relating some vegetative characters and yield of Euterpe edulis Mart. are presented as an aid for early and indirect selection in breeding work with this palm. Non-destructive measurements, such as plant girth, number of leaves, raquis and petiole length, showed high phenotypic correlation coefficients when paired with heart of palm weight, diameter and length. Age to age correlation coefficients between palm girth and number of leaves were also positive and statistically significant, from eighteen months until ten years after planting, with increasing correlation coefficients over time. Estimates of correlated gain obtained by selection on plant girth at different ages showed that expected gain starts to be worthwhile three years after planting, corresponding to over 73% of the gain expected when selection was delayed to the last stage. Expected gain for number of leaves starts increasing significantly four years after planting. As girth and number of leaves were correlated, it is advisable to select only for girth, as it showed a better relationship with yield components at harvest. Due to the rate of change of correlation over time and the expected gain obtained by the selection practiced, especially as regards palm girth, it is suggested that phenotypic selection of heart of palm plants could start as early as eighteen months, with a better probability of selecting superior genotypes three years after planting.