نشریه تاکسونومی و بیوسیستماتیک
سال شانزدهم شماره 1 (پیاپی 58، بهار 1403)

Mosir (Allium stipitatum Regel.) is an edible and medicinal plant native to Iran. It belongs to the Amaryllidaceae family and is one of the most important plant sources of sulfur compounds and antioxidants. To investigate the phytochemical properties of Mosir tubers collected from various western regions of the country, an experiment was designed. Mosir tubers were collected from five habitats: Asadabad, Bahar, Tuyserkan, Hamadan, and Kangavar. The traits of allicin, total polyphenol, protein, and percentage of dry matter were studied. The results of the analysis of variance for each of the studied traits indicated a significant difference among the various Mosir collection points in terms of tuber dry matter percentage, protein percentage, and total polyphenol percentage. Mosir from Hamadan exhibited the highest protein content, while Tuyserkan had the lowest. The highest percentage of tuber dry matter was found in Bahar and the lowest in Asadabad. Mosir from Bahar and Asadabad had the highest total polyphenol content, while Mosir from Hamadan had the lowest percentage of total polyphenols. It appears that among the studied areas, Bahar city provides more favorable conditions for the growth and accumulation of phytochemical compounds in Mosir tubers, which are valuable in the pharmaceutical industry.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), one of the most productive and nutritious forage crops, is grown worldwide for hay, silage and pasture. In order to study the phenotypic variation, an experiment was conducted on 40 alfalfa population in a randomized complete block design with three replications during 2018 in a research farm of Urmia University. Traits including plant height, re-growth rate, No. of node, node length, No. of stem, No. of floret per racemes, racemes length, No. of pod per racemes, leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, stem fresh weight, stem dry weight, total fresh weight, total dry weight, leaf dry weight/stem dry weight, and total dry weight/total fresh weight were measured. The results showed a significant variation in alfalfa populations, so that for most of the traits, significant difference was observed. The results showed that graphical analysis of the genotype × trait biplot, explaining 53.43% of the total standardized data variation, could greatly facilitate the study of genetic variation and relationships between traits. The positive correlation between two important traits of total dry weight and leaf to stem ratio led to a nearly identical ranking of the populations based on these traits, which is important for simultaneous breeding of these two traits. Further, the studied populations were clustered in two main groups, each of them in two subgroups based on cluster analysis, the first subgroup containing foreign and Ghareh-Yonjeh populations, and in terms of forage yield and leaf to stem ratio The situation was favorable. Therefore, the populations in the first cluster can be used in alfalfa cultivation development programs and the future breeding program of this plant.

Tullbergiidae (Poduromorpha) are minute arthropods that lack eyes and a furca. In Iran, this family has not undergone extensive study, with only six genera and 13 species documented so far. Samples for this study were collected from Guilan province, specifically from an olive orchard in Rudbar city in April 2017. Soil and leaf litter samples were collected and processed using a Berlese funnel in the laboratory to extract the springtail specimens. Microscopic slides were then prepared to examine the morphological characteristics and identify the specimens. The genus Neonaphorura Bagnall, 1935 was identified within the Tullbergiidae family and reported for the first time in Iran. This genus is differentiated from others in the family by the number of anal spines on the sixth abdominal segment and the number of sensory clubs on the 3rd antennal flagellomere. Additionally, an identification key to genera and species within the Tullbergiidae family in Iran is presented in this study.

The genus Nerium L. consists of perennial shrubs belonging to the Apocynaceae family, which are widely found in the warm and dry regions of western, southern, and southeastern Iran as wild plants. In this study, the quantitative and qualitative morphological traits of various Nerium populations across different regions of Iran were examined. Samples were collected from 100 individuals belonging to 38 different populations, and their morphological data were analyzed. Cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were performed using the R software. The results indicated that leaf size, flower corolla color, and corolla appendages are highly valuable taxonomic traits and can aid in distinguishing different populations. However, taxonomic ambiguities persist regarding the overlap of certain morphological traits and the exact definition of subspecies. Therefore, molecular studies are recommended to resolve these ambiguities and confirm the results of morphological analyses.