Genetic Diversity of a Germplasm Collection of Eremurus Using Molecular and Morphological Markers

Eremurus is one of the most important genus of the family Asphodelaceae, including 45 species which grow in the Montainous area. Most species are of high horticultural potential. Eremurus is widely used in the Netherlands, Germany, Israel, Japan, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and North and South America, especially as cut flowers. Iran is the third diversity centers of Eremurus genus with 7 species and 4 subspecies after the Soviet Union and Afghanistan.The greatest diversity of species are found in Northeast of Iran (Khorasan Provinces). Identification and evaluation of  genetic diversity of the species of the genus Eremurus has not been addressed yet Therefore, in this study, identification and evaluation of the genetic diversity of Eremurus species in Iran with morphological and molecular marker will be considered. Eremurus species has been collected from 11 provinces of Iran including 29 accessions during spring and early summer of 2015. AFLP analysis is going to applied to study genetic variation within and between species.,. The Eremurus species which has been identified up to now include E. luteus,E.persicus, E. inderiensis، E. kopetdaghesis, E. stenophyllus subsp stenophyllus. It has been found that E. stenophyllus subsp stenophyllus, an endemic species in Khorasan province is at the risk of being extinct.