Open-pollinated and artificial crosses have been carried out throughout three years among 18 cultivars and clones of pineapple, Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill, aiming at the future selection of new hybrids with desirable agronomic and fruit quality traits, in segregating progenies. The genetic materials have been evaluated as to their seed yield potentials in order to provide basic information for the choice of parentals to be used in future crosses. The amount of viable seeds produced in different crosses has been higly variable. Cultivar Perolera and clones Amarelo-de-uaupés, Roxo-de-tefé, Rioja, and Boituva have been the best seed producers in open-pollinated crosses whereas cultivar Perolera and clones Amarelo-de-uaupés, Natal Queen, and Rioja outyielded the others in artificial crosses. A significant correlation (r = 0.82**) was observed between the seed yields obtained in the two pollination systems used.
pineapple; Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill; plant breeding; crosses; seed production