Evaluation of heritability, functional traits correlation and pomological traits in apple hybrid genotypes

The experiment was carried out on 560 half sib and full sib hybridsof apple during 2014-2015. This study was conducted on 6 and 7 year-old plants in Seed and Plant Improvement Research Institute, Iran. The program related to composed of 7000 seedlings made by 44 cross combinations (2004-2005) based on morphological marker technique in 2006-2007. The plants were grown in the hybrid orchard obtained through a large screening program to select early and mid-early hybrids. In this study, some important quantitative and qualitative pomological traits were evaluated and genotypes were classified into three groups using cluster analysis based on measured traits. In estimation of correlation between phenological traits, there were no significance relationships between yield per tree and growth vigor, period of flowering, flowering density, ripening time and height of tree, but yield had significance and positive correlation with percent of fruit abscission. Flowering density had no significant effect on some phenological traits. In estimation of heritability of some important traits, the highest and lowest general heritability were from yield and period of flowering (64.10% and 5.75%, respectively). General heritability of early ripening was 41.15 percent.