Diversity of Iranian aloe (Aloe vera L.) genotypes based on aloenin contents and some morphological traits.

摘要

Fifty genotypes of Aloe vera were collected from the main areas of cultivation in Iran and evaluated to determine their level of diversity. The characters investigated were: number of plant leaves, mature leaf length, mature leaf width, mature leaf weight, length of the largest leaf, width of the largest leaf, weight of the largest leaf, number of tillers, and aloenin content. Pearson's coefficients showed that the height of a plant was positively correlated with the width of a plant and with the number of leaves (r=0.452 and r=0.409, respectively); while there was a negative correlation between the width of a plant and the width of the largest leaf (r=-0.90). An evaluation of their phytomedical constituents by HPLC showed that all samples were rich in aloenin, with recorded values higher than the phytomedical grade. Statistical analysis showed that the aloenin content of genotype 39, from Hormozgan, was at least twice as high as in all other genotypes. Cluster analysis based on ten morphological traits and aloenin contents arranged the 50 genotypes into three main Groups. Genotypes in Group A had the highest aloenin contents and botanical potential, which could be considered for future breeding programmes. The distribution of aloe genotypes provided useful information for future collections and for genetic resource management in these sites of origin.