Genetic Variation of Seed Related Traits in Festuca arundinacea Using Multivariate Statistical Methods

Genetic diversity is the basis of breeding studies in many plant species and is one of the most important indicators for selecting parents. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the genetic diversity of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea ) using agronomic traits such as plant height, spring growth score, days to flowering, days to pollination, flag leaf length and width, panicle length, weight of 100 seed and seed yield per plant. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Based on the results, the ecotypes were significantly different for all of the evaluated traits with the exception of 100 seed weight. The highest phenotypic variation coefficient (58.66), genetic variation coeficient (58.32) and heritability (0.97) were related to plant height. The correlation between traits showed that ecotypes with higher height, panicle length and flag leaf height and spring growth score have higher seed yield. The results of stepwise regression analysis showed that in the regression model for seed yield per plant, the panicle length, alone, justified 60.95% of the variation. Cluster analysis grouped 25 ecotypes into three groups. Analysis of variance of agronomic traits as well as yield and related traits showed that grouping caused mean squares between groups in all traits (except flag leaf width). In this study, high genetic diversity and high heritability for evaluated traits showed the potentials of genetic improvement.