Mahdiyeh Zare-Kohan - PhD Graduate, Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU), Sari, Iran
Nadali Babaeian-Jelodar - Department of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University (SANRU), Sari, Iran
Reza Aghnoum - Seed and Plant Improvement Research Department, Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Mashhad, Iran
Seyed Ali Tabatabaee - Seed and Plant Improvement Research Department, Yazd Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Yazd, Iran
Mohammadreza Ghasemi Nezhad-Raeini - PhD Student, Department of Water Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch, Iran

The present study used the association mapping method to identify molecular markers associated with morphological traits using ۴۰۷ SSR and AFLP markers for ۱۴۸ barley genotypes. This experiment was carried out as an alpha-lattice design with five incomplete blocks in two replications under normal and salinity stress conditions (EC = ۱۲ ds m-۱) at the Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Station, Yazd, Iran. The genetic structure of the population was divided into two subpopulations (K = ۲) using the Bayesian method and Structure ۲.۳.۴ software. Association mapping was performed based on a mixed linear model using TASSEL۴.۳.۱۵ software. Association mapping under normal and salinity stress conditions identified ۳۸ and ۴۳ significant marker-trait associations. Also, several common QTLs for the studied traits were identified. Common markers among traits can be due to pleiotropic effects or linkage between genomic regions involved in these traits. Several QTLs were stable for plant height and flag leaf area in different environmental conditions and can be regarded as stable QTLs. Markers HVM۴۰-۱۴۴, HVM۴۰-۱۴۷, HVM۴۰-۱۵۲, and HVM۴۰-۱۶۲ for plant height and marker Bmag۰۶۰۶-۱۴۷ for flag leaf area showed a significant association with these traits in both normal and salinity-stress experiments. So, these QTLs can be suggested as stable gene loci. Identifying major gene loci influencing salinity tolerance in barley can assist in the breeding of salinity tolerance in this crop.

association mapping, Barley, mixed linear model, Salinity stress