CROP WILD RELATIVES

Alliums, a botanically diverse genus of the Alliaceae family, is an important horticulture crop with unknown potential for economically purposes such as spices, vegetables, medicinal or ornamental usage. This genus is morphologically very variable and therefore, there is controversy between species of the some subgenus and their sections. In order to represent the efficiency of morphological descriptors on intra-and interspecific diversity of Allium genus, 41 accessions of Allium from 13 species were evaluated with the use of 23 qualitative characteristics on inflorescence, scape and leaf; along with 6 quantitative morphological descriptors of seeds. Nineteen qualitative characteristics could clearly define taxonomic delimitation, even in sect. Acanthoprason, as one of the most confusing groups. Moreover, basal position of Allium species, subgenus, sections and species arrangement was confirmed by the constructed UPGMA dendrogram generated with these traits. These qualitative morphological descriptors can successfully applied for evaluating intraspecific morphodiversity that can be beneficial for horticultural usage such as ornamentals. However, six quantitative characteristics recorded on seeds could not discriminate the taxonomic arrangements. The results of this research might be important in gene bank management and agricultural and breeding programs to develop new Allium varieties in the future.