Nambiar, M.C.Nambiar, K.P.P.2014-07-052014-07-051970Euphytica, 19 (1970), 543-551http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3729The variance components analysis of characters influencing productivity in six yield groups of coconut in three sets of crosses has revealed that there is substantial additive genetic variation available for selection for yield and other associated characters like number of female flowers and percentage set as estimated by the relative sizes of <rg2, <rs2 and cre2. The general combining ability of the higher yield groups is considerable for number of bunches, number of female flowers, yield of nuts but is limited for percentage set. The presence of interaction between yield groups and category of crosses and the extent of non-additive genetic variation as revealed by the magnitude of os2 indicate the necessity of maintaining substantial heterozygosity within each population. Since high yielders will be proportionally low in any un-selected population, the limited diversity within these groups can be better utilized by interplanting them with similar phenotypes of diverse origin, to prevent inbreeding in their progenies and to maintain heterozygosity within the population. The results have demonstrated the stability of the superiority of high yielding groups even in poor environment. In a more favourable environment with higher doses of fertilizer, the difference between the top two yield groups and the rest could possibly be larger. Therefore, choice of mother palms with high yield either for "crossing purposes or for progeny testing appear to be reliable, provided that there is sufficient genetic diversity within the population.enArticle