Genetic diversity of Iranian wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum Koch.) populations

An effective weed management program requires a comprehensive knowledge of a weed’s genetic diversity. Wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum Koch) is known as an invasive weed that is rising in commercial cereal fields of Iran. Genetic diversity of 31 populations of Iranian wild barley consisting of 27 populations from Fars province along with four collected from Alborz, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, and Lorestan provinces was investigated using 15 ISSR markers. Cluster analysis showed that populations were divided into six main groups based on 88.5% similarity level. According to PCoA results, seven groups were determined based on populations’ data. The maximum similarity is recorded between Fasa and Darab populations (95.6%) and the minimum was noted between Sepidan and Mohr (78.6%). Genetic variation within the investigated wild barley populations (53%) was higher than between populations (47%). Results of Mantel test revealed a correlation between population distance and latitude, rainfall, annual temperature, and population geographic distances. Generally, latitudes, annual mean temperature, and annual mean rainfall are influenced by genetic diversity of wild barley in Iran. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Korean Society of Crop Science (KSCS).