Cytological study of Medicago species in Iran

Thirty six Medicago populations were collected from natural habitats across Iran. Number and size of chromosoms as well as karytypic formula of the populations were measured and studied-using thier root tip meristems. This study showed that M. sativa consists of diploid (2n = 16) and teraploid (2n = 32) populations in Iran, while M. rugosa and M. scutellata were tetraploid (2n = 30) and M. ciliaris was diploid (2n = 18). In addition, M. radiate, M. lupolina, M. minima, M. coronata, M. laciniata, M. sauvagei, M. tornata, M. orbicularis, M. noeana, M. turbinata , M. truncatula, M. littoralis, M. arabica and M. aculeata were diploid possesing 16 chromosomes, while M. constricta, M. polymorpha, M. rigidula and M. rigiduloides were diploid possesing 14 chromosomes. Based on karyotypic formula, in these species most of the studied chromosomes were metacentric and sub-metacentric. This study also revealed that M. ciliaris has genotypes with n = 9 base chromosomes in Iran.