The current research aimed to estimate the evolutionary relationships of ten Centaurea L. species growing naturally in the Duhok City, Kurdistan region of Iraq. The combing Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers with Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) gene region barcode were performed. To detect the DNA sequence variations and phylogenetic tree reconstruction, the Dice similarity matrix, the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods were applied. 104 polymorphic bands were scored with an average of 10.4. The Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) and Resolving Power (Rp) values ranged between (0.24 to 0.36) and 3.4 in primer (SCoT1) to 12 in primer (SCoT53) with an average of 0.319 and 5.74 respectively. The lowest similarity value was 0.52 between C. behen L. and C. solstitialis L., while the highest was 0.82 between C. balsamita and C. rigida. The reconstructed polytomous dendrogram was as follows: clade one; C. solstitialis L.; clade 2, C. balsamita Lam. and C. virgata Lam.; clade three subdivide into two subclades: C. iberica Trev. ex Spreng., C. hayalolepis Boiss., C. brugueriana (DC) Hand. Mazz. and C. gigantea Sch. Bip. Ex Boiss., C. regia Boiss., C. rigida Banks & Sol., C. behen Lam. Furthermore, C. brugueriana (DC) Hand. Mazz., C. iberica Trev. ex Spreng, C. behen L., C. solstiotialis L. and C. balsamita Lam. were nested with National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). In contrast, the remaining taxa were mixed with other closely related species. Thus, ScoT markers and ITS DNA barcode were considerably effective for investigating the evolutionary relationships of Centaurea taxa.

Background The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has a rich history of cultivation and is renowned for its beneficial properties and nutrient-dense fruits. Kurdistan Iraq's agricultural, medical, and cultural traditions are the foundation of the pomegranate’s historical significance. The distribution of pomegranates in Kurdistan Iraq, particularly in the Duhok Province, reveals the great importance of genetic diversity among its cultivars. Punica granatum has spread to various parts of the world, including Mediterranean countries, Russia, Japan, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, California, Iraq, and China. The pomegranate has garnered increasing global interest due to its high nutritional value, and its ornamental, industrial, and medicinal benefits. Identifying molecular markers less affected by environmental conditions is crucial for measuring genetic diversity among pomegranate cultivars and assisting breeders in selecting and developing genotypes with higher quality and consistency. Methods This study explored the genetic diversity and stomatal characteristics of nine pomegranate cultivars collected from various locations in Duhok Governorate, Kurdistan Region/Iraq. Genetic diversity was assessed using a combination of molecular methods, including Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) markers and SRAP markers. Results The results demonstrated that both SCoT and SRAP markers were effective for analyzing genetic diversity in pomegranates. Additionally, the stomatal structure analysis revealed significant variability among cultivars, with consistent internal structures observed across the cultivars. Conclusion However, measurements of stomatal components varied depending on the growing location. This study highlights the wide genetic diversity among pomegranate cultivars and the environmental factors influencing plant development including light, temperature, humidity, and soil conditions. These factors significantly affect physiological processes such as stomatal opening, root development, and secondary metabolite.

The polleniferous material of Centaurea taxa grow in Kurdistan-Iraq was collected. Samples were tested using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). In the polar view, pollen grain outlines are mostly triangular or triangular-circular. In equatorial view, the elliptic shape is common, while circulars or semicircular shapes are rare. The exine sculpture is scabrate, and the tectum is perforate. Number of sculpture microspinules/ μm², and their heights together with the number of wall perforations provide significant characters for taxa delimitation. Pollen grains of all species are of medium size, very few of some species pollen are larger or smaller in size. Species producing subprolate pollen shape is common, while oblate spheroidal and Prolate spheroidal shapes are less common. The principal component analysis and the discriminant analysis can recognize 65.478% and 87.54% of the total variability respectively; moreover, the discriminant function can correctly classify 125 or 78.125% out of 160 observations for pollen traits.