Evaluation of phenotypic diversity of hawthorn plant ( Crataegus spp. ) by using digital colorimetric technology (RGB model) and the method of investigating fruit appearance traits in Sahand protected area in East Azerbaijan province.

Subject Areas : plant systematics

Seyed Mohammadali Khajeddini ¹

1 - Full-time academic staff (eighth grade lecturer) / Islamic Azad University, Miyaneh Branch

Received: 2022-11-17 Accepted : 2023-02-12 Published : 2023-02-12

Keywords: "Phenotypic diversity", "hawthorn", "calorimetry",

Abstract :

Abstract Introduction: Hawthorn whose scientific name is Crataegus spp. belongs to the genus Rosacea and the shape of its fruit is spherical to oval in yellow, orange, red, purple and black colors. One of the main centers in which the genetic diversity of this genus can be found is from Turkey to Iran. More than one thousand species of hawthorn have been identified in the world, including 22 species in Iran from which 9 species can be found in East Azerbaijan.Aim: Evaluation and verification of digital colorimetric technology (RGB model) as a new method in studying hawthorn plant phenotypic diversity and the generalization of this technology in studying the phenotypic diversity of other plant communities in Iran.Material and Methods: Digital colorimetric technology is a branch of biology that uses quantitative and statistical methods to evaluate color differences in a plant. Qualitative studies produce a detailed descriptive image; however, colorimetric technology produces tables with a list of analytic data so precise that the naked eye is unable to visualize the color differences. This research was performed by digital colorimetric technology from a total of ten thousand numerical data extracted from 300 fruits (with 900 image samples) from 60 populations of hawthorn trees by computer software Image pro plus (RGB model) and based on the scatter diagrams and hierarchical clustering, high and reliable phenotypic diversity was obtained in the sixty studied populations. The second method was carried out by examining the external characteristics by photographing the three lateral parts, the gill and the junction of the fruit tail in 900 fruits (with 2700 image samples). Results: The Visual evaluation of the shape and color of the photographed fruits obtained a relatively low phenotypic variation and with low accuracy compared to the previous method in the sixty studied hawthorn populations.Conclusion: Evaluation of phenotypic diversity by digital colorimetric technology can be a suitable alternative in comparison with the method of molecular markers with low cost and saving time with accurate and reliable results. This digital colorimetric technology was generalized and recommended for the field study of phenotypic diversity of hawthorn plant to advance botanical goals in Iran.