Phenotypic correlation between some agrochemical traits of the almond kernel

Twelve agrochemical traits of 55 almond (Prunus amygdalus Batsch) cultivars and selections were measured in order to find out their phenotypic correlations. Two statistical approaches were applied, Correlation and Principal Component Analysis. A significant correlation was found between the percentage of several fatty acids, mainly between oleic and linoleic acids. Oil content showed a significant positive correlation with oleic acid content and a negative correlation with the contents of protein, linoleic acid, ash, and potassium. A high positive correlation was found between the ash residue and potassium content. Low coefficients were obtained between the chemical components and kernel weight. Similar results were obtained with the PCA, showing the possibility of phenotypic linkage between the same traits as well as of being independent of the parents involved. These correlations show the possibility of selecting independently or jointly for two traits in an almond breeding programme.