Phenotypic diversity analysis of red juniper (<i>Juniperus turbinata</i> Guss.) populations in Morocco

The aim of this study was to characterize and evaluate the phenotypic variation of Juniperus turbinata Guss. in its Moroccan range.Twenty-five quantitative and qualitative morphological characters related to the plant, branches, branchlets, leaves and galbules were analyzed across fourteen natural populations collected throughout their geographical range.Plant height varied considerably, reaching over 7 m in the Essaouira population and dropping to around 1 m in the Sakka population.The number of trunks per plant was particularly high in the Sakka and Martil populations, with over 10 trunks per plant.The galbule weight was around 0.63 g in the Demnate population, compared to only 0.11 g in the Sakka population.Similarly, the number of seeds per galbule (NSG) ranged from a maximum of around seven seeds in the Amesguen population to a minimum of three seeds in the Sadia population.Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among populations for all measured traits.What's more, 80% of quantitative traits (16 out of 20) had a coefficient of variation greater than 15%, testifying to high morphological diversity.A significant positive correlation was observed between the number of seeds per galbule and galbule dimensional traits including GWe, GWi, GLe, GC and GD.Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and hierarchical clustering analyses classified the populations into three distinct groups, independently of their geographical origins and bioclimatic zones.The results of this study provide valuable information for developing an effective genetic improvement program, as well as managing and conserving the genetic resources of red juniper in Morocco.