ABSTRACT:
Changes in the shape of fruits from hermaphrodite flowers due to floral anomalies are quite common. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of the general and specific combining ability on the proportions of normal and deformed (carpelloid and pentandric) papaya fruits in hermaphrodite plants using mixed models. The ‘JS12-N’, ‘Waimanalo’ and ‘Golden’ parents showed the potential to decrease the number of deformed fruits. In contrast, the ‘Maradol x JS12-N’, ‘Maradol x Waimanalo’, ‘Maradol x Golden’, ‘JS12-N x JS12-4’, ‘JS12-N x Sekati’, ‘JS12-N x Waimanalo’, ‘Waimanalo x JS12-N’, ‘Waimanalo x JS12-4’, ‘Waimanalo x Golden’, ‘Waimanalo x Sunrise Solo 72/12’, ‘Golden x Maradol’, ‘Golden x JS12-N’, ‘Golden x Sekati’, ‘Golden x Waimanalo’ and ‘São Mateus x JS12-N’ hybrids have the potential to increase the number of marketable fruits while decreasing the number of carpelloid and pentandric fruits.
Key words:
Carica papaya; carpelloidy; pentandry; REML/BLUP