Evaluation of Relationships between Yield and Yield Components in Sainfoin (Onobrychis Vicifolia Scop) Genotypes Using Multivariate Methods

In the present study 18 agronomic, phonological and morphological traits were evaluated in 34 genotypes of sainfoin based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of West Azerbaijan, Iran. Analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences among the genotypes for all of the measured traits, suggesting that there is considerable genetic variation among genotypes and indicating high potential for improving these traits through targeted selection in breeding programs. Correlation analysis showed that forage yield had significantly positive correlations with plant height, harvest index, dry weight of stem, and number of stems. Principal component analysis revealed that five components justify more than 73 percent of the total variation. In order to select effective yield components, step-wise regression was undertaken and number of stems, number of leaves and harvest index were entered into the regression model. Cluster analysis using Ward algorithm classified 34 genotypes into three groups, including 18, 9 and 7 genotypes. Moreover, principle components analysis confirmed the result of cluster analysis.