An investigation on morphological diversity and of correlation seed characteristics with seedlings in a mass of pistachio seed (Pistacia vera L. cv. Badami-Riz- Zarand)

In order to study morphological variation within seeds and seedlings of a pistachio population of ‘Badami-Riz-e-Zarand’, 20 quantitative traits were measured in sixty-seven nut and seedlings originated from them. Results showed that there was positive and significant correlation between traits of nuts (seeds) and kernels, not between seedling height and crown diameter. According to measured parameters and cluster analysis, seedlings clustered to three groups. In the first seed group, petiole width and length as well as petiole diameter at the bottom and the middle were more than the other two groups. In the first group, kernel weight, leaf length and seedling height was significantly more than third group. Similarly, it was found that seedlings in the second group had nut length, nut diameter, kernel length and width, the ratio of length to width of leaves, SPAD index and stem diameter greater than the third group. Results of this experiment showed that despite the fact that all of the nuts had the same female parent; there was high morphological diversity within seeds of a pistachio population of cv. Badami-Riz-e-Zarand. Also, results revealed, characteristics associated with vigor of seedlings can be estimated before planting by defining a regression formula between some of seed traits.