Investigation of canonical correlation\'s functions of morphological and phytochemical traits in two varieties of wild tulips in altitudes of Zanjan

Tulipa is one of the most important bulbous plants in the world which is highly distributed in many parts of our country. This research was conducted to explain the correlation of canonical functions between morphological and phytochemical traits of two species of wild tulips: Tulipa montana var. montana (with red flower) and T. montana var. chrysantha (with yellow flower) collected from the altitudes of Qeydar city of Zanjan province. Measured phytochemical traits were phenol, flavonoids and antioxidants of flowers and bulbs and chlorophyll a in both varieties of tulip, morphological traits such as petal length, bulb diameter, fresh weight of plants, plant height and the height of rhizome. Data analysis was performed to determine the correlation relationship and Wilks' Lambda, Pillai's Trace, Hotelling-Lawley Trace and Roy's Greatest Root tests were used to define the relationships between variables. The results of this study showed that three functions were only fitted between four canonical functions and the highest special value was 224 and it belonged to Roy's Greatest Root. Three first canonical variables of morphological traits fit 91% of the canonical correlation between variables which this rate of correlation is higher than phytochemical traits. The highest percentage of fitness (0.76%) in morphological traits was belonged to the first canonical function; which shows the first canonical function fit the canonical correlation relationships in morphological traits better than others. Also, comparison of two types of traits in red and yellow tulips showed that morphological traits can establish a significant relationship with the canonical correlation better than phytochemical traits. Analysis of canonical correlation equations displayed that the amount of phenol in bulb and petal flavonoid decreased with a coefficient by reduction in petal length. Also, the amount of phenol in petal, flavonoid in bulb and antioxidant in petal enhanced by reduction of petal length. Phenol in tulip bulbs and antioxidant amount of petal showed a direct correlation with tulip bulb diameter. Also, reduction in tulip height reduced the amount of petal and bulb’s phenol, bulb flavonoid and petal’s antioxidants, while the content of petal flavonoids increased significantly. Based on the result of this study, researcher will select the best plant according to their ultimate goal of producing or collecting wild tulips, considering the relationship between morphological and phytochemical traits.