Assessment of genetic diversity in some barley genotypes based on morphological characteristics

The current study was conducted among twenty barley genotypes using morphological traits in Moghan, Iran. The trial was laid out in a randomized block scheme with three replicates. Eleven agronomic and morphological traits were recorded and subjected to correlation analysis, and clustering. Biological yield, straw yield, and seed yield performance exhibited the highest coefficients of variation. Correlations demonstrated associations among yield-related traits, with seed yield per plant showing close relationships with biological yield, straw yield, thousand-seed weight, and plant height. Morphological traits such as spike length and plant height were correlated with yield, indicating their indirect contribution to productivity. Tillering traits were mainly associated with seed number and spike characteristics rather than overall yield performance. Cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into three distinct clusters, whereas Cluster-A included the check variety and genotypes with lower yield performance but higher tillering capacity. Cluster-B was characterized by superior performance for yield components, including seed yield per plant, seed number, thousand-seed weight, and fertile tillers, indicating balanced reproductive and vegetative growth. Cluster-C exhibited the highest biological yield and seed yield, despite lower tillering ability, suggesting that biomass accumulation and plant stature played a dominant role in determining productivity. Trait-based clustering also classified the evaluated traits into three functional groups representing growth and biomass-related traits, reproductive yield components, and tillering characteristics. The results demonstrated the presence of genetic diversity among the barley genotypes and highlighted the importance of biomass production, spike architecture, and seed weight in yield determination.