SEED PROTEIN ANALYSIS IN SOME IRANIAN SPECIES AND POPULATIONS OF STIPA L.

SDS-PAGE protein analysis was performed in 16 populations of 6 Stipa species in order to determine the use of such data in taxonomy and elucidating the species inter-relationships. In total 29 protein bands were obtained, some of which were common to all the species while some were species specific. Intra-specific protein variation was observed in some of the species. Cluster analysis of protein data showed distinctness of the species studied and also supported the species inter-relationships revealed by morphological characters.