Evaluating the Agro-morphological Variation in Panicum antidotale in Cholistan Desert, Pakistan

The present study was conducted to examine the pattern of genetic diversity through agro-morphological characters in various accessions of Panicum antidotale Retz. collected wild from various habitats of Cholistan desert. Descriptive statistics, correlation among characters and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied on the data that showed great morphological variations among the accessions. The pattern of morphological diversity suggested that the accessions represent a relict population with recency in habitat loss. The characters such as plant height, number of tillers and high tillering capacity serve as agronomic, as well as morphological descriptors of the prevailing genetic diversity and this variation encountered, had a genetic basis. Different morpho-types adapted themselves by developing different associations with other plant species and therefore acquire active refuge both from severe environmental conditions and grazers. Based on the present study, it is documented that the immediate need of an ex situ conservation with a representation of all six groups identified with PCA, in a provenance of several areas of Cholistan desert. The conservation efforts, therefore, could still preserve the relict genetic diversity. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers