M. A. AAZAMI1 and E. JALILI2
1 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Maragheh 55181-83111, Iran
2 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Abhar Branch, Iran
AAZAMI, M. A. and E. JALILI, 2011. Study of genetic diversity in some Iranian plum genotypes based on morphological criteria. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 17: 424-428
Plums have a great diversity among temperate zone fruit trees. This experiment was conducted to assay the morphological diversity of 38 Iranian plum genotypes for qualitative and quantitative criteria based on IBPGR descriptor. Analysis of variance showed that all the traits studied had significant differences indicating the great variability for every trait. Simple correlation analysis showed significant negative and positive correlations for some important traits. Factor analysis revealed that fruit and stone shape, flower size and color, fertility range and flower opening time were related to the main factor components. Effective high lighted criteria were categorized into five groups accounted for 76% of total variance. Eigen values of more than 6% were considered significant for each factor. Cluster analysis at 9 distances at, divided genotypes to four main groups. These groups mainly had differences in stone and fruit shape, self fertility range and stone clinging.