Estimation of repeatability and number of evaluations for characterization of mango germplasm.

This work aimed estimate the coefficient of repeatability for total fruit numbers per tree (TFT) fruit production per tree (FPT), fruit weight average (FWA), pulp weight (PW), skin weight (SW), stone weight (STW), fruit longitudinal diameter (FLD), fruit transversal diameter (FTD), FLD/FTD ratio, stone longitudinal diameter (SLD), stone transversal diameter (STD), SLD/STD ratio, and to determine the necessary number of evaluations for mango germplasm characterization. Repeatability estimates were carried out by principal component analysis from the correlation matrix during four years for TFT, FPT and FWA and four evaluations at the same year for the other characters. Coefficient estimates of repeatability FLD, FTD, FLD/FTD ratio and SLD characteristics showed that it was necessary omly two evaluations to obtain 95% of R2, four for PW and SW, and five for FWA and STD. While for TFT and FPT a minimal of six and five evaluations are necessary, respactively, to obtain 87% of precision.