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چکیده
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Objective: As a highly nutritious vegetable crop, purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is recognized for its dual role as both a leafy vegetable and a medicinal herb. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of 20 Iranian purslane accessions using selected agro-morphological traits. Methods: Seeds from local purslane accessions were collected from different regions of Iran. The experiment was conducted under controlled greenhouse conditions, using a randomized complete block design with four replications. A total of 16 agro-morphological traits were measured. Phenotypic coefficient of variation was calculated for all traits to verify the existence of variability among the collected accessions. To group the accessions, factor analysis was performed to uncover a pattern of variability among the studied accessions. Only factors with eigenvalues greater than unity were retained and used. Results: The results revealed considerable genetic variation among the genotypes, with the phenotypic coefficient of variation ranging from 11.66% (main stem length) to 51.00% (number of capsules per branch). High variability in traits such as total soluble solids and dry/fresh weight ratio, and relatively high variability for number of flowers per plant, dry shoot weight, number of lateral branches, number of branches per main stem, leaf width, leaf area, and leaf length, was observed, highlighting their potential value for future breeding efforts. Factor analysis identified five main factors accounting for 90.1% of the observed variability, with the first factor describing 48.6% of the variability and associated with plant biomass potential. The next factors emphasized the number of flowers and branches, leaf properties, the number of lateral branches, and total soluble solids, respectively. The accessions were categorized into three distinct categories, and Group A contained accessions with better biomass and some yield-related traits. Conclusion: This research provided an understanding of genetic diversity in purslane, offering information for selecting favorable genotypes for breeding programs aimed at enhancing biomass and yield performance. Accessions from Group A, such as those from Bushehr, Isfahan, and Maragheh areas, Iran, were recommended for further evaluation and potential cultivar release for rainfed, semiarid conditions.
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