Coffee breeding: XXV- Performance of cultivars progenies and hybrids

The yielding capacity of 104 coffee progenies was tested during 4 to 11 years in Campinas. The progenies were planted in rows with 20 individuals each, without replication. Due to the differences in the age of the material, the progenies were divided in three groups. The first group comprised the cultiva rs 'Mundo Novo', 'Bourbon Amarelo', 'Bourbon Vermelho' and several hybrids between different cultivars. The 'Mundo Novo' cultivar had the best yield. In the second group besides 'Bourbon Amarelo' and 'Bourbon Vermelho' it was included progenies of 'Cera', 'Tipica', 'Caturra Vermelha' and also five hybrid populations. 'Bourbon Amarelo' gave the highest yield whereas the cultivar 'Tipica' had the lowest. The third group was composed mostly of progenies of the cultivars 'Mundo Novo', 'Bourbon Amarelo', 'Sumatra', 'Caturra Amarelo' and 'Caturra Vermelho'. Again, 'Mundo Novo' stood out as the highest yielding cultivar. Comparisions made in the third group, between data obtained after 4 and 9 consecutive yields pointed out that the low yielding progenies could be selected out after 4 years with great accuracy. The positive correlation between incidence of elephant beans and great amount of empty locules was confirmed. From the agronomic standpoint the results confirmed previous observations that led the breeders to recomend the 'Mundo Novo' cultivar for establishment of new coffee plantations because of its high yielding capacity, vigor and good bean size.