Dispersion, Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) in Iran

摘要

Pomegranate is one of the tropical fruits in Iran. Pomegranate plants have been grown throughout the country in two forms: cultivated and wild. Iran and surrounding countries are the origins of the plant. Punica is the only genus of the Punicaceae. There are only two species of this genus around the world. This study aims to identify: taxonomic characters, genus and species diversity, number of species and cultivars and their dispersion in Iran. The research was done in 2009-2010. First, a literaturereview was done. In order to obtain diversity of species, field studies, taxonomic investigations, and character measuring and range deviations in Iran were done. Results show that there is one genus (Punica) and one species (P. granatum L.) of Punicaceae in Iran. The species, mostly, are cultivated all around the country, although they are grown wild. In Iran, various cultivars were reported (up to 760 cultivars), but the cultivars such as: 'Shirin', 'Malas', 'Torsh', 'Black' and 'Bedana' are more prevalent. Displaying the dispersion of wild pomegranates on the map of Iran shows that the species grows in regions such as the north of Iran, i.e., south margin of Caspian Sea, also in the west regions of Iran especially along the Zagross Mountains, and in the southeast regions i.e., part of Hormozgan and Systan and Balouchestan provinces. Cultivated pomegranates are grown in all regions of Iran.