Selection for frost resistance in Coffea arabica progenies carrying C. liberica var. dewevrei genes
Marcos Rafael Petek, Tumoru Sera, and Marcos Zorzenon Alteia
This research was carried out to estimate the variability and genetic parameters for the development of cultivars more frost resistant in Coffea arabica progenies, carrying C. liberica var. dewevrei genes. There is genetic variability for frost resistance in progenies with C. liberica var. dewevrei genes. The rust resistance, vegetative vigor and yield potential should be considered when developing cultivars adapted to frost occurrence areas. Cultivars with yield precocity such as IAPAR 59, that allows a faster recovery yield after a severe frost, minimizing the damage from the phenomenon. The use of index selection is efficient to select simultaneously progenies with greater frost adaptation, vegetative vigor, rust resistance and yield.