Determination of genetic diversity among Arasbaran cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) genotypes based on quantitative and qualitative traits

Cornelian cherry is one of the most important small fruits in Arasbaran region, with wide applications in medicines and food products. In this study, the relationship among 28 quantitative and qualitative traits related to fruit, leaf, tree, and flower of 20 cornelian cherry genotypes was evaluated. Significant positive as well as negative correlations were found among some important quantitative and qualitative traits. Multivariate analysis method such as factor analysis was used to assign the number of main factors. It showed that the characteristics of fruit, leaf, petiole, and flower were the main traits. Effective traits were divided into 10 factors explaining 87.85% of the total variation. Factor loading values higher than 0.6 were considered significant. According to the cluster analysis of traits based on Squared Euclidean distance, all genotypes were divided into two main branches, but with decreasing of this distance from 25 to 5, the genotypes were placed into four main sub-clusters. Cluster analysis revealed that the traits of fruit length and its diameter, fruit stalk length and its diameter, fruit taste and color, leaf length and width, petiole length and its diameter, as well as pit length and its diameter were effective for clustering the genotypes.