Genetic diversity of selected genotypes from West Azerbaijan province squash populations based on morphological traits

Document Type : Research

Authors

1 Seed and Plant Improvement Research Department, West Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Urmia, Iran

2 Vegetable Research Center, Horticultural Sciences Research Institute, AREEO, Kraj, Iran

10.22092/rhsj.2023.361430.1049

Abstract

Squash is one of the most economically important vegetable crops. Squash seed has a high nutritional and medicinal value due to their high oil and protein. The farmers cultivate local squash cultivars In Iran, which are a mixture of different genotypes. This reduces yield, uniformity and quality of seed. For access to squash superior genotypes, 60 genotypes were selected from Oshnoyeh, Naghadeh and Khoy cities. These genotypes were cultured in Saatlou Agricultural Research Station in Urmia. Analysis of variance revealed significant variation among genotypes for all the experimental characters except fruit width. Grain yield had high heritability (95.9).- Grain yield showed a positive and significant correlation with number of fruit per plant (r=0.7), fruit yield (r=0.67), grain weight of fruit (r=0.54), grain yield/fruit yield (r=0.8), and weight of 1000 grains (r=0.56). In analysis to factor, the first four components explained for 71.6% of total variations among genotypes. The first factor, named the grain yield factor, described 25.5% of total variation. Cluster analysis classified genotypes into five groups. The genotypes of O9, N1, N10, N16, KH14 and KH23 in the second group had higher grain yield than the other groups. These genotypes can be used in the squash breeding program.

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