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Malus orientalis Uglitzk. is considered as one of the probable ancestors of domestic apples (M. × domestica) and has valuable traits such as late-blooming, adaptation to a wider array of habitats, and capacity for longer storage of the fruits. In the present investigation, morphological and pomological characteristics of M. orientalis were evaluated. Results showed significant differences among the accessions in terms of the recorded traits. Leaf length ranged from 38.56 to 101.36 mm and leaf width varied from 20.27 to 45.31 mm. Fruit length ranged from 14.69 to 39.98 mm, while fruit width varied from 22.16 to 47.39 mm. Fruits weighted between 4.76 and 36.32 g with an average of 15.28. Fruit weight showed positive and significant correlations with dimensions of leaf and fruit. Principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed that fruit-related characteristics were more important in explaining the variation among the accessions. The dendrogram generated using Ward’s method and Euclidean distance showed that the accessions were placed into two major clusters. The dissimilarity level in terms of morphological and pomological characteristics showed a wide range of phenotypic diversity, allowing the effective selection of parents in various breeding programs, referring to fruit quality and high yield. The current findings confirmed that conservation of M. orientalis genetic resources is important for future breeding programs.

Pistacia atlantica Desf. subsp. mutica is widely distributed in the Zagros Mountains in Iran and its fruits are used as food. In the present study, the morphological and pomological variation of naturally grown male and female genotypes of this species was investigated. Considerable variations were observed among male and also among female genotypes studied based on the characters measured. Leaf length ranged from 11.03 to 17.67 cm in male genotypes and also from 11.98 to 16.14 cm in female genotypes. Furthermore, leaf width varied from 7.32 to 13.08 cm in male genotypes and from 9.18 to 13.31 cm in female genotypes. Inflorescence length ranged between 4.62 and 5.83 cm in male genotypes and between 5.05 and 9.04 cm in female genotypes. Also, 100-nut weight varied from 13.74 to 22.81 g with an average of 16.09, while 100-kernel weight ranged from 2.11 to 3.60 g with an average of 2.65 in female genotypes. Leaf length was significantly and positively correlated with leaf width. Furthermore, 100-kernel weight was positively and significantly correlated with leaf and nut dimensions. Principal component analysis showed that the characters measured accounted for 77.41% of the total variance in male genotypes and also 83.24% of the total variance in female genotypes. The genotypes studied showed high variation based on the characters recorded. The wide adaptation of P. atlantica Desf. subsp. mutica highlights its potential as a genetic resource for pistachio breeding for resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses such as drought. The current findings may be useful to select conservation strategies and genetic improvement of the species studied.

This study aimed to evaluate the genetic difference between 43 F1 hybrids and 8 parents, seven of Iris germanica and one of I. spuria and to estimate genetic parameters by using 10 descriptors and the morphological variation to determine their potential for genetic improvement. The mean comparisons showed that the Iris hybrids 10 and 11 had higher flower size than other Iris hybrids and the parental, a coveted trait that could be used in breeding programs, with the aim of increase sales. The Iris hybrid 8 showed the most significantly difference in crown diameter, flower branches diameter and flower peduncle diameter. The cluster of largely are could separation hybrids in terms of morphological characteristics. Irises a trait correlation with other traits makes possible indirect measurement. Relatively high heritability values, in broad sense, were found 97% for height plant, fall width and length, flower size and leaf width. These characters may be applied as useful traits in Iris breeding and for selection hybrids.

Pseudostems of bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L.) show wide variation in morphological traits and skin color. However, despite being one of the most important agronomic traits, molecular studies of bunching onion pseudostems remain limited. In this study, six morphological traits (plant height, leaf length, pseudostem length, leaf width, pseudostem width and number of leaf sheaths) along with pseudostem pigmentation indices were evaluated in two field trials using an F2:3 population derived from a single F1 cross between a white single pseudostem (non-tillering) and a red tillering bunching onion. Plant height was highly correlated with both leaf length and pseudostem length, but not the number of leaf sheaths. In contrast, the number of leaf sheaths was significantly negatively correlated with both leaf width and pseudostem width. A total of 27 QTLs for the six morphological traits were detected in 16 regions of 11 linkage groups, with a major QTL for the number of leaf sheaths repeatedly detected on Chr. 8. Meanwhile, two QTLs associated with pseudostem pigmentation were repeatedly detected on linkage groups Chr. 4a and Chr. 5a-2. The latter (qPig5a-2) was considered a major QTL, and its location estimated by marker genotyping of the F2 population around the qPig5a-2 region as being within a 7.6 cM interval.

Development of maize (Zea mays L.) types that produce leaf area rapidly and finish vegetative development quickly would increase production of maize in mid- to short-season areas. The Leafy (Lfy1) and reduced-stature (rd1) traits each make contributions to this end. However, these two traits have not previously been combined. Our objective was to evaluate the morphological aspects of non-leafy normal-stature (NLNS), leafy reduced-stature (LRS), non-leafy reduced-stature (NLRS), and leafy normal-stature (LNS) maize inbreds. Two traits, Lfy1 and rd1, were incorporated into a series of inbreds, resulting in a range of canopy architectures. Twelve variables were recorded for each of 30 inbreds over three years. The 12 variables were: seed emergence, above-ear leaf number, below-ear leaf number, dead leaf number at tasselling, live leaf number at tasselling, total leaf number, above-ear leaf area, ear leaf length, ear leaf width, ear height, internode length, and plant height. Inbreds containing the Lfy1 trait had more above-ear leaf area, above-ear leaf number, dead leaf number at tasselling, total leaf number and number of live leaves at tasselling than non-leafy inbred lines. Below-ear leaf number was not different among LRS, LNS, and NLNS inbred lines. LRS and NLRS inbred lines were also not different for below-ear leaf number. Plant height, ear height, and ear leaf length and width were higher in normal-stature than reduced-stature plants. The proportion of the seeds which emerged was higher for LRS inbreds than the other trait groups.

A study was made on the quantitative inheritance of seven characters viz., flowering time, plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of curable leaves, green weight and cured weight for two crosses of flue-cured tobacco Chatham x Delcrest and 232 x Hicks. Six genetic populations P1, P2, F1, F2, B1 and B2 were observed in each cross.