Cytogenetic studies in 5 native fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) populations of Iran

This study was carried out in Agricultural and Natural Resource Research Center of Esfahan during 2004-2006. Karyotypes of 5 fennel populations were studied, using root tip mitotic cells. The base chromosome number was x= 11 for the studied popurations. Number of chromosomes, length of the longest chromosome, length of the shortest chromosome, longest/ shortest length ratio, average of long arm/short arm ratio, average of short arm/long arm ratio, average of chromosomes ratio were recorded. The types of chromosomes were metacantric, submetacentric and telocentric. Comparison of relative length of the shortest chromosome (S%) showed that Lorestan and Fozveh-Najafabad populations with 75% and 72.72% relative length of the shortest chromosome, respectively, had more symmetric karyotype and Esfahan population with 33.33% relative length value had less symmetric karyotype.