Evaluation of progenies of sexual reproduction of Populus euphratica provenances using leaf morphology and Isoenzyme markers

Because of adaptation to different ecological conditions, cross pollination and heterozygosity, Populus euphratica contains a large amount of genetic diversity, which could have an important role in superior phenotypes selection, in inter and intra specific hybridization processes. The main aim of this study was evaluation of leaf morphologic and Isoenzyme characteristics in several P. euphratica genotypes, produced by seed regeneration. A total of 50 superior seedlings from superior phenotypes of 12 parent trees of the species were selected. Seedlings evaluation was performed in a nursery located at Karaj research station, a city close to Tehran, Iran, during 2011 to 2015. In order to determine existing genetic variation, leaf morphology of seedlings and analysis of peroxidase isoenzyme were conducted. Peroxidase isoenzyme analysis was conducted on leaf extracts using polyacrylamid gel electrophoresis (PAGE ). Analysis of variance showed significant differences among the seedlings of the parent trees for leaf morphologic traits. The most values of leaf length, leaf width and leaf area were observed on Gotvand and Lorestan originated seedlings, and the lowest value of the characters was observed on seedlings originated from Zabol habitat. Analysis of variance of superior genotypes from different habitats revealed within superior genotypes genetic variations (69%) and among habitats genetic variations (31%). Variation index (Phi) showed significant differences within progenies and superior parental trees. The most part of heterozygosity observed in Dezfol, Sarakhs and Zabol trees, with 1, 0.83, 0.83 values respectively. Maximum number of effective alleles and Shannon index belonged to Zabol habitat with 2.93 and 1.12 respectively.