The phenotypic, genotypic and environmental correlations between the number of palm fruit bunches and the annual yield and their combinations in African palm were estimated. There were also estimated the coefficients of repeatability and determination, with the objective of indicating the lowest number of successive harvests required to exploit the genotypic potential of the evaluated progenies. The genotypic correlation between the number of bunches per plant and the yield was negative, indicating that when genotypes with a higher yield are selected the number of bunches decreases. In general, the signal of the genotypic correlation differed was opposite to the one from the environmental correlation, evidencing that genetic and environmental factors influence the number of bunches and yield through different physiological mechanisms. Based on the method of principal components applied to the correlation matrix, at least four years of evaluation seem to be necessary, values coefficients of reliability and repeatability were 87.6% e 0.64, respectively.
Elaeis guineensis; genotype stabilization; plant breeding