Abstract
Berberis vulgaris L. is a shrub exhibiting significant morphological and biochemical diversity. This study evaluated nine wild genotypes from Isfahan Province, Iran, based on 21 morphological and biochemical traits. Fruit length varied from 0.6 to 1.07 cm, width from 0.47 to 0.72 cm, and weight from 0.14 to 0.26 g, with colors ranging from light yellow to dark red. Pearson correlation analysis revealed key relationships: fruit weight correlated positively with seed length (r = 0.50), fruit color had a strong negative correlation with fruit length (r = - 0.68) and a positive correlation with leaf color (r = 0.74). The number of fruits per panicle correlated negatively with seed width (r = - 0.73), while fresh fruit weight correlated positively with leaf blade length (r = 0.79). Biochemical analysis revealed significant antioxidant activity (ranging from 89.20 to 97.10%), which correlated with phenolic content (5.18-14.34 mg GAE/g DW) and flavonoid content (5.3-16.86 mg QE/g DW). Sample 2 had the highest total phenolics (TP) content (14.34 mg GAE/g DW.), flavonoids (13.83 mg QE/g DW), whereas sample 7 exhibited the highest flavonoid concentration (16.86 mg QE/g DW) and sample 3 showed the strong antioxidant capacity (97.10%). Hierarchical clustering grouped genotypes into three clusters: Cluster I (samples 7 and 8) with distinct biochemical profiles; Cluster II (samples 1 and 2) with darker fruits and higher phenolics; Cluster III with lighter fruits and lower biochemical levels. These results highlight the genetic diversity and medicinal potential of B. vulgaris, suggesting fruit color and morphological traits as useful markers for selecting genotypes with high antioxidant capacity. Conservation and breeding efforts should prioritize these valuable wild resources for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical uses. Future studies integrating molecular markers with morphological and biochemical traits will provide deeper insights into the genetic basis of variability and support targeted breeding programs.