HERITABILITY, GENETIC-VARIABILITY AND GEN ETIC GAIN FOR YIELD AND MORPHOLOGIC CHARACTERS IN YOUNG PROGENIES OF RUBBER TREES

The objective of this paper was to estimate inheritance for yield and morphologic characters in three-year old progenies of rubber trees [He vea brasiliensis (Willd ex Adr, de juss) Muell Arg]. Twenty-two half-s ib progenies of rubber tree were planted at the randomized complete bl ock design. The characters studied were: yield, girth; leaf petiole le ngth; leaf petiole diameter; leaf petiole index; main venation length; main venation diameter; foliar width and leaf area. Heritability and genetic gain were estimated for those characters. The results indicate d significative differences for most of the characters. The individual heritability estimates were higher values for girth, main venation le ngth and yield with values of 0,47; 0,45 and 0,35, respectively. The g enetic gain estimates among and within the progenies showed considerab le values of 49,09%; 21,44% and 18,42% for yield, leaf area and girth, respectivelly.