The objective of this study was to identify the phenotypic and genotypic correlations between the plant cycle and plant habit and the effect on yield in landrace bean genotypes. The experiment was conducted in Joaçaba and Lages, Santa Catarina State for the 2008/2009 crop using 26 bean genotypes: 22 landrace and 4 commercial genotypes obtained from the UDESC. We evaluated the number of days from emergence to flowering, number of days from flowering to physiological maturity and number of days from emergence to physiological maturity in relation to the genotypes' cycle. The aerial plant architecture characteristics evaluated were the growth habit, plant habit, plant height, stem diameter, height of the first pod insertion and number of nodes on the main stem. Trail analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the emergence-to-flowering period and yield and that the emergence-physiological maturity; flowering-physiological maturity showed a negative correlation to the yield in both locations. Therefore, short-cycle genotypes, especially those with a reduced post-flowering period, produced increased yields. The aerial plant architecture characteristics showed phenotypic and genotypic positive correlations with the yield in both environments. To increase yield, the reproductive period needs to coincide with periods of the greatest photosynthetically active radiation.
trail analysis; genetic variability; short cycle; upright habit
