Protein Pattern of Pollen Grains of Phoenix dactylifera L. Males Grown in Central and Southern Regions of Iraq

Abstract

The present study was conducted on 24 date palm male cultivars "Phoenix dactylifera L. " grown in central and southern regions of Iraq to investigate variations in protein pattern of pollen grains among these male cultivars. Cluster analysis was used to determine the degree of similarity and difference between date palm males. Pollen grains protein pattern on SDS-PAGE revealed differences in band number (ranging between 1-6 band), location and band molecular weight (ranging between 47.143-143.412 K. Dalton), leading to variations in protein quantity and quality among the studied date males. Cluster analysis data showed that all date males occupied two main groups with five cultivars being listed in the first group , whereas the remaining cultivars were composed of the second group. The similarity value between date males of both groups was 0.76. Nashmi and Simsam male cultivars of the first main group, and Kaisy, Ishmailli, Zubaili, Sultani, Shillaik, Laithawi, Hassani, Ghannami Akhdhar, Amlah, Mojaljal ,Haran and Musharah males of the second main group recorded the highest similarity value of 1.00. Amlas and Sheraify males recorded a similarity value of 0.99, and Ghannami Omara and Ikash date males had a similarity value of 0.98, indicating that these ecotypes are genetically related.