Genetic parameters of yield and morphological fruit and stone properties in apricot

Yield, fruit and stone weight and dimensions were studied in 24 apricot cultivars over a four-year period, to determine components of variability, heritability and genetic and phenotypic correlations. The analysis of the components of total variance evidenced that genetic differences between cultivars determined to the highest percentage the variability of fruit height and stone weight and dimensions, whereas the variation of yield, and fruit weight, breadth and thickness was predominantly determined by ecological factors. The values of heritability coefficients, in a broader sense, were found to be relatively high for fruit and stone weight and dimensions (88-93%), and medium for yield (48%). It was established by correlation analysis that all genetic and phenotypic coefficients of correlation between fruit and stone weight and dimensions were positive and statistically very significant. Yield was in a very significant, positive genetic correlation with a majority of studied characters except for fruit breadth. However, the phenotypic coefficients of correlation between those properties were not statistically significant.