Karyotype Analysis of Populations in Five Satureja Species from Iran

A karyological study of five taxa (15 populations) of the genus Satureja L. from different geographic origins is presented. The haploid levels were different among species (n= 12 and 15). The work deals with chromosome number and morphometry. We found two of the usual basic chromosome numbers in this study for satureja species, x= 12 and x= 15. All populations were diploid and were located in 1B or 2B Stebbins classes. The karyotypic results showed the diversity among the species as mostly displayed median region (m) and submedian region (sm) and the chromosome lengths were determined between 0.60 mu m in Satureja sahendica Bornm. (1041) to 2.27 mu m in S. macrantha C.A.Mey. (3). Detailed karyotype analysis allows us to group the different populations and determine the relationships among them. It also pointed out the possibility of inter and intra-species cross to improve plants.