Quantitative analysis of correlations among flower traits in Gerbera hybrida Compositae : 1. Genetic and environmental correlations.

Phenotypic (r p ), genetic (r g ), and environmental, (r e ) correlations were estimated for 38 flower traits in the Davis population of gerbera (Gerbera hybrida, Compositae). Fifty-two percent of r p and 38% of r g were statistically significant at P < 0.05. Significant negative r p were infrequent, but significant negative r g occurred in 10% of cases. There was a negative correlation between estimates of r g and r e , resulting in cases where r g was significant, but r p was not. Individual traits varied in their tendency to correlate phenotypically or genetically, and positively or negatively, with other traits. Traits within the same morphological category, such as disk florets or transitional florets, were more highly intercorrelated than were traits from different categories.