an evaluation of genetic diversity of iranian shallot (allium hirtifolium boiss.) genotypes using morphological traits

seventeen iranian shallot genotypes from ashtian, arak, boroujerd, dashtearjan, doshmanziari, divandareh, khomein, khansar, sepidan, siakhdarengoon, sahne, kangavar, koohrang, koohmaresorkhi, nahavand, harsin and yasouj areas were evaluated for their morphological traits. corms were collected from the mentioned regions and planted based on a complete block design. quantitative and qualitative traits, leaf length, width, diameter as well as leaf number, scape length and diameter, inflorescence diameter, number of flowers in inflorescence, floret peduncle lenght, and mean diameter, corm mean weight, number of cormlet(s), clustered corm percent, dry matter percentage as well as ash percentage of corm were assessed. analysis of variance indicated that the studied genotypes significantly differed for all traits, except for leaf width and floret peduncle length. khansar genotype had the highest corm diameter (62.05 mm), corm mean weight (140.45 g) as well as yield (1400.45 g/m2). cluster analysis resulted in the genotypes being divided into three subgroups. arak, doshmanziari, koohmaresorkhi, khansar, harsin and nahavand genotypes were placed in the first group, khomein, yasuj, boroujerd, divandareh and sepidan genotypes in the second, while dashtearjan, koohrang, ashtian, siakhdarengoon, sahne and kangavar genotypes in the third group. results indicated that, iranian shallot is completely different from the common shallot (allium ascalonicum) species with a wide diversity that makes it a valuable genetic resource for breeding programs.