Assessment of genetic variation between some of the Iranian and foreign olive cultivars with using of quantitative and qualitative traits

In order to study of the genetic variation among some olive cultivars and of identification the best ones, 30 cultivars of Iranian and foreign olive genotypes that cultivated in olive research station of Tarom, Zanjan were evaluated and 36 quantitative and qualitative characters were assessed in this procedure. Variance analysis results illustrated that there was significant difference among examined cultivars for all characters and showed high genetic variation in all the studied cultivars. Results of simple correlation analysis showed the existence of significant positive and negative correlation among some important characters. Stepwise regression showed that yield more than other traits, depended on flower properties, percentage of complete flower and amount of oil in wet matter, while the percent of oil in wet matter depended on fruit phenological variables like the time of fruit color change and fruit maturity. Factors analysis represented that 10 component accounted over 90% of total variances. Pomologic and phenologic characteristics of fruit, characteristics of flower, yield, fruit moisture, amount of oil in dry matter, amount of oil in wet matter and leaf morphologic properties were constituted as main factors. Cluster analyses in the distance of 13 were divided cultivars into 11 clusters. According to high genetic variation among the cultivars, hybridization can be effective to improve yield, amount of oil in wet matter and production of new varieties.