Juvenile-mature correlation coefficients relating two vegetative traits of Euterpe oleracea Mart. are presented as an aid to early and indirect selection for heart of palm yield in breeding work with this palm. Significant age to age correlation coefficients were found for almost all paired comparison for plant girth and tillering number, with increasing values overtime. This fact together with the expected gain obtained by selection practiced, especially over palm girth, suggest that indirect phenotypic selection on this palm could start as early as seventeen months, with greater probability of selecting superior genotypes after two years after planting.
Euterpe oleracoa Mart.; juvenile-mature correlations; early selection; expected gain