Assessment of Genetic Diversity and Its Relationship with Geographical Factors in Populations of Wild Diploid Wheat (Triticum boeoticum) Based on Morphological Characteristics

In this study, the genetic diversity of 90 accessions from 12 populations of Triticum boeoticum was evaluated using randomized complete block design with two replications. These populations were collected from the Western and Northwestern of Iran. Each experimental unit was 0.5 m long and consisted of one row spaced 20 cm apart. During the growing season, 15 agro-morphological traits were evaluated. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the accessions at 1% level of probability. Grain yield had a significant correlation with all of the traits except harvest index. The highest correlation of grain yield was observed with biomass and number of fertile and total tillers. Multiple regression showed that the number of fertile tillers, leaf length, leaf width and grain weight in the main spike had the highest direct effect on the grain yield. Factor analysis resulted in three factors that explained 77.38% of the total variance. Factors were named as 1) main spike and leaf, 2) yield and its components and 3) phenological characters. Canonical correlation indicated the latitude as the most effective geographical factor and leaf width, length of main spike, leaf length and number of spikelets were mostly affected by the geographical factors. Overall, a high diversity was observed for all of the studied traits in the surveyed accessions. Kordestan, West Azarbayjan and Kermanshah provinces were recognized as the diverse geographical regions.