Pages: 75-86

Abstract

The phenotypic diversity of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was assessed using morphological traits, verifying how this diversity is distributed among the main potato cultivars in the growing areas, Iran. A total of eleven cultivars, Ramose, Sante, Shepody, Marfona, Maradona, Milova, Santana, Boren, Cosima, Granola and Agria, that practice traditional agriculture, were evaluated in the field and greenhouse experimental condition in Isfahan. Seven phenological, floral and morphological vegetative descriptors, Crop Growth Rate=CGR, Net Assimilation Rate=NAR, Leaf Area Duration=LAD, Leaf Area Ratio=LAR and specific Leaf Area=SLA were recorded. The descriptors were analyzed by SAS software and the means were compared by DMRT test. Certain defined groups were observed, indicating that, the diversity of the cultivars is structured with a considerable morphological variation in between with a very high significant growth index.