Selection of the Late Flowering Cold Tolerant Almond Genotypes in Qazvin Province

Late spring frost usually damages flowers and reduces yield of almond trees. Due to natural sexual reproduction, in most of almond orchards of Qazvin province, Iran, which have been established through seedling propagation, a vast genetic variation has been occurred. This situation has been provided many possibilities to study different traits of native almond genotypes, to select superior genotypes especially those with late flowering and cold tolerance. In the present study, flowering characteristics of twelve superior almond genotypes (G1-G12) which had been selected in the first phase of study were evaluated based on descriptor list for almond (IBPGRI). Results of assessments showed that these genotypes were significantly different for the majority of the traits especially those related to flowering. Cluster analysis of data divided genotype into different groups of late flower to normal. Difference between beginning of flowering in genotypes was recorded 14 days. There were also significant correlations (positive or negative) between different traits.