Heritability estimates of vegetative characteristics of black saxaul (Haloxylon aphyllum) in Yazd province

Progenies of twenty five black saxaul (Haloxylon aphyllum) selected trees (eighteen seed born-progenies of each tree) were studied in a randomized complete block design with three replications for genetic variation and heritability of several morphological and vegetative characteristics. Recorded data were analyzed in an unbalance manner. All the statistical model components were regarded as random effects. The results of ANOVA indicated that most of the effects in the applied model including habitat and mother plant effects were statistically significant for plant height, crown diameter and collar diameter. Variation in the studied characters was vast enough. The genetic variation and superior stands are expected to be employed for improving growth capacity and seedling stabilization in the nature. Remarkable differences between the selected mother trees based on the vegetative characteristics such as seedling height, crown and trunk diameter imply that by the existing populations of the species, it can be planed in such a way that the required seedlings, produced by the collected seeds establish much better with a reasonable growth rate.