Path analysis on seed yield components on Iranian Carthamus tinctorius L. genotypes

In order to study the relationships among seed yield and its components on Carthamus tinctorius، path analysis and factor analysis on agro-morphological traits was performed of 18 genotypes of the species. Genotypes evaluated in glasshouse using a completely randomized design with four replications in Payam Noor University، Zavareh. Seed yield had positively correlation with biomass، pappus number per plant، seed number per pappus، oil yield and lateral branches number. Results of stepwise regression analysis for seed yield as dependant variable showed that biomass، pappus number per plant، seed number per plant and oil percent entered into model in last step، respectively، and justified 98 percent of total variation of seed yield. Path analysis showed that biomass and pappus number per plant had the highest direct effects on seed yield per plant. Factor analysis revealed three factors that justified 91. 31 percent of the total variation among the characters. The factors were named efficiency factor (seed yield، oil yield and biomass)، yield components factor (lateral-branches number and pappus number per plant) and pappus characters factor (pappus weight and seed number per plant)، respectively. Therefore، the research seggested that biomass، pappus number per plant and seed number per pappus had the most relative importance on seed yield appointments and can be suitable selection criteria for improving seed yield per plant in Carthamus tinctorius.