Tarbiat Modares University Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 1680-7073 19 2 2017 03 01 Variation in Fruit Morphological Traits and Bioactive Compounds in Different Populations of Ferula assa-foetida, F. gummosa, and F. ovina Collected from Iran 425 438 16044 EN A. Akbarian Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156 83111, Islamic Republic of Iran. M. Rahimmalek Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156 83111, Islamic Republic of Iran. M. R. Sabzalian Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156 83111, Islamic Republic of Iran. Journal Article Variability in morphological traits, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of 15 populations of Iranian <em>Ferula</em> species collected from natural habitats in different regions of Iran were investigated. Total Phenolic Content (TPC) of fruit extracts varied from 12.77 to 120.72 mg tannic acid per 1g dry weight. Total flavonoid of fruits extract varied from 5.45 mg quercetin per 1 g dry weight in <em>F. assa-foetida</em> to 8.09 mg QUE g^-1 in <em>F. ovina</em>. Antioxidant activity of fruits was assessed using three model systems. Fruits extract showed excellent radical scavenging activity as compared to BHT<em>.</em> Similar trend was also obtained in reducing power (FTC) and <em>β</em>-carotene-linoleic acidmodel systems. The cluster analysis subdivided the populations in three major groups. Group 1 possessed high inhibition of beta-carotene (> 60%), while group 2 showed low percent of inhibition (< 35%). Group 3 revealed the lowest TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity. Most of <em>Ferula</em> populations (group 1) were more potent for scavenging of free radicals in lipid phases in comparison with aqueous phase. In this study, some fruit morphological traits were also measured in populations. Among the studied species, <em>F. gummosa</em> had the highest fruit length and thousand kernel weight and length/width ratio as well as high antioxidant activity. In overall, the results revealed the scientific basis for traditional usage of the studied <em>Ferula</em> species as spice plants and their potential as a rich source of natural antioxidant and flavonoid source. https://jast.modares.ac.ir/article_16044_b1f391b61183d032ea38054238ee092a.pdf