The current investigation aimed to evaluate the relationships between various morphological traits and dry shoot weight (DSW) in purslane (Portulaca oleracea), using path analysis to quantify both direct and indirect effects. A total of 20 local landraces of purslane were collected from different geographical regions across Iran. These plants were cultivated under controlled greenhouse conditions using a completely randomized design with four replications. A comprehensive set of morphological traits was measured, including leaf length (LL), main stem length (MSL), third internode diameter (TID), leaf area (LA), number of seeds per capsule (NSC), and leaf width (LW), among others. Correlation analysis showed significant positive relationships between DSW and several morphological traits, such as MSL, TID, LL, LW, LA, and NSC. Further path analysis identified leaf length (LL) and the length of the longest lateral branch (LLL) as the main determinants of DSW, with LL exerting the strongest positive direct effect. The indirect effect of LL through LLL was also significant. Notably, traits such as leaf width (LW) and main stem length (MSL) influenced DSW indirectly through their effects on LL and LLL, respectively. Multiple regression analysis supported the importance of these traits, identifying LL and LLL as the primary contributors to variation in DSW. These findings underscore the key role of morphological traits in biomass accumulation in purslane. The strong correlations and direct effects observed between these traits and DSW suggest that leaf characteristics and stem morphology are critical factors for improving purslane yield.
