Phylogeny of Onobrychis genus based on morphological characters

Present research was carried out in two parts of evaluation of genetic variation and phylogenetic analyses among onobrychis species from National Plant Gene Bank of Iran. In this study genetic variation of O. altissima, O. viciifolia, O. crista-galli and O. caput-galli populations were evaluated based on morphological characteristics in the experimental field of Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran. In two perennial and agronomical species (O. altissima, O. viciifolia) leaf to stem ratio had higher variation in comparison with other traits. 100 pod weight and plant height at 50% flowering had a positive and significant correlation in O. altissima and 100 pod weight had a significant and positive correlation with inflorescence length in O. viciifolia. The plant height at 50% flowering showed the positive and significant correlation with important traits related to flower (peduncle length, inflorescence length, inflorescence number, 100 pod weight, 100 seed weight) in two annual species (O. crista-galli, O. caput-galli). The results of cluster analysis showed the populations of second cluster in O. altissima is suitable for improving forage quality (leaf to stem ratio). Also the populations of cluster two in O. viciifolia are valuable because of high values for plant hight at 50% flowering, 100 pod weight and 100 seed weight. So they are recommendable for hybridization program. Phylogenetic studies of 20 species of Onobrychis genus as ingroups in addition to Ebenus stellata as an outgroups from National Plant Gene Bank of Iran were conducted based on morphological traits. According to phylogenetic analysis two similar species including O. altissima and O. viciifolia could be distinguished each other. The results of morphological analyses indicated the most phylogenetical relationships are between O. crista-galli 2x and O. crista- galli 4x, O. chorassanica and O. mazaderanica, O. amoena subsp. amoena and O. amoena subsp. meshedensis, O. bungei and O. megataphros, O. aucheri subsp. psammophila and O. aucheri subsp. tehranica. This information can be used in determining the degree of success of inter-specific hybridization between different species in onobrychis genus.