Evaluation of variability of morphological traits of selected caraway (Carum carvi L.) genotypes

In the experiments done in 2008 and 2009, 23 selected caraway genotypes originating from European botanical gardens (18), cv. “Kończewicki” and our own breeding strains were tested. The obtained results showed that objects of the caraway collection varied in terms of all the tested morphological traits. The plant height ranged from 71.5 cm (Reykjawik) to 107.8 cm (cv. “Kończewicki”). The number of branches on the main stem was from 5.3 (Reykjawik) to 10.0 (Jena). The number of lateral shoots ranged from 9.8 (Reykjawik) to 21.5 (strain 9/10). The leaf length was from 11.9 cm (Lousanne) to 29.1 cm (cv. “Kończewicki”). The number of umbels per plant varied from 91.4 (Reykjawik) to 251.9 (strain 9/10). The fruit yield ranged from 14.2 g (Reykjawik) to 48.5 g (cv. “Kończewicki”). The weight of 1000 seeds was from 1.81 g (Salzburg) to 3.31 g (strain 9/1). The following morphological traits such as the number of umbels per plant, the number of lateral shoots per plant and weight of a thousand seeds had positive effect on fruit yield. The multidimensional analysis of the tested traits compared caraway objects in respect of eight morphological traits and yield simultaneously. These valuation of caraway genotypes will make it possible to choose the appropriate genotypes for further breeding program.