Evaluation of genetic diversity of Iranian wild barley (Hordeum sp.) and landraces using morphological characters

To evaluate genetic diversity of wild barley, 115 landraces of barley from five spices as H. vulgare, H. spontaneum, H. bulbosume, H. marinum and H. murinum were planted in a systematic design. Ten quantitative traits were measure according to IBPGRI. Analysis of variance showed significant differences between the landraces for all of the studied traits. Correlation analysis showed a positive and significant correlation between seed number in spikelet and spikelet number. Also correlation between seed number in spikelet with seed length and width were negative and significant. In principle components analysis, three principle components accounted for 78 percent of total variation. The first principle component with 35% explained traits such as spikelet number, seed length and width and seed number in spikelet. The second principle component with 22% explained peduncle outside, peduncle length and spikelet length. The third principle components with 22.38% explained height, node number and leaf number. Cluster analysis also classified the landraces into 3 groups which separated landraces according to the species. The results showed a high level of genetic diversity in wild and landraces of barley which could be used for barley cultivar improvement.