Evaluation of Different Ecotypes of Salvia reuterana Bios. in Iran

Salvia reuterana Boiss of the Labiatae family is naturally distributed in many parts of Iran. Recent pharmacological studies have confirmed some medicinal properties of S. reuterana including antibacterial, carminative and anti-oxidant effects. In order to domestication of this valuable plant, morphological diversity were studied among seven S. reuterana population (Absard, Delichai, Shahmirzad, Chashm, Anjileh, Atashgah and Kasva) and S. palaestina population (Roodbarak) by using of 29 morphological treats and essential oil content. Treats including length of flowering stem, leaf length and width, collar diameter, length of calyx teeth, calyx diameter and sub stems length have shown highest genotypic and phenotypic coefficient of variation which demonstrate high diversity of mentioned treats among population. Some treats correlated with each other including plant height with flowering stem length and calyx length and diameter, essential oil content with plant height and flowering stem length. Based on all studied treats cluster analyses, in 12 unit distance were classed into four major groups. In order to essential oil extraction plant materials were subjected into Clevenger apparatus for 4 hours. Essential oil percentage was varying among evaluated population between 0.2-0.36 (v∕w). Plants grown in Chashm habitat have shown fallowing desirable treats; maximum plant height, highest leave length and width, maximum sub stem length and highest essential oil quantity in compare with other population.