Genetic Variation within Iranian Iris Species Using Morphological Traits

Iris belongs toIridaceae family and it is monocotyledon. Iris is one of the important ornamental and medicinal plants. 34 iris genotypes (14 species) collected from different provinces of Iran were planted at National Institute of Ornamental Plants (NIOP) Iran. All of the species evaluated for 15 quantitative traits and 30 qualitative traits. Results showed that the highest positive correlation was between inner tepal length and width and the lowest of this correlation was between crest length and width. Cluster analysis using Ward similarity coefficient divided Iris species into three clusters. Also the highest Nei’s genetic distance based on qualitative traits was between I. iberica and I. fosterana and the lowest was between I. germanica and I. paradoxa. The maximum genetic diversity was in Khorasan Razavi populations, and the minimum was in Khorasan (North).  According to Shannon index, I. spuria and I. germanica species had the maximum level of genetic diversity. Cluster analysis according to qualitative traits by Jaccard similarity coefficient and UPGMA classified the 34 genotypes into four groups. Classification of populations based on quantitative traits was not similar to classification based on qualitative traits and they were not similar to geographical distribution.