Evaluation of diversity of yarrow (Achillea biebersteinii Afan. and Achillea ‎wilhelmsii C. Koch) populations in West-Azerbaijan province based on ‎morphological traits, essential oil percentage and composition

In this study diversity of 10 populations belong to Achillea biebersteinii Afan and Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch in natural habits of West-Azerbaijan province including (Urmia-Nazlu, Oshnaviyeh-Shahraksanati, Naghadeh Mohammadshahsofla, Mahabad-Esakandi, Miandoab-Chalkhamaz, Simineh-Khorojishahr, Bukan-Aliabad, Mahmoodabad-Hosseinabad, Shahindezh-Sarojeh and Sardasht-Nalas) were evaluated. Essential oil composition of the aerial parts of plant was identified by (GC/MS) gas chromatography. Cluster analysis divided the populations into three distinct groups. In general 23 and 27 components were identified in the essential oil ofA. biebersteinii and A. wilhelmsii, respectively. The essential oil percentage of the A. biebersteinii was 0.56 to 1.10 and the essential oil percentage of the A. wilhelmsiiwas 0.49 to 0.68%. The population of Naghadeh belongs to A. biebersteinii had the highest essential oil percentage and the population of Bukan belongs to A. wilhelmsii had the highest amount of 1,8-cineole (72.88%), the population of Miandoab (A. wilhelmsii) was high in camphor (57.98%) and camphon (58.5%) and the Shahindezh population belongs to (A. wilhelmsii) had the high levels of piperiton (32%). Populations of Naghadeh belongs to (A. biebersteinii), Bukan (A. wilhelmsii), Miandoab (A. wilhelmsii) and Shahindezh (A. wilhelmsii) were superior in terms of performance and efficacy that can be used for the pharmaceutical industry and breeding programs.