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Abstract This investigation was carried out to give some information that could improve nutritional quality and productivity of leek, as well as evaluation of foreign leek genotypes under Ismailia governorate conditions. Two experiments were carried out in this investigation, the first experiment was conducted using one leek genotype (El- Balady) to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen and sulfur sources on vegetative growth, yield, bioactive compounds and mineral contents in leek plants. The second experiment was conducted to evaluate the morphological and genetic diversity present in 24 leek genotypes using phenotypic parameters and SSR markers. The results indicated that the plant growth, yield, quality parameters and mineral contents were affected by the source of nitrogen and sulfur, whereas generally the best results were attributed to ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. In the same direction, bioactive compounds such as thiosulfinate and allicin significantly improved by fertilization with ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate. Biennial landrace (Kong Richard) from Germany and perennial cultivar (Kumanovski) from Macedonia had around 2.5 fold yield comparing with El-Balady cultivar under our conditions. On the other hand, perennial cultivar (Visok) from Montenegro had the significant highest thiosulfinate and allicin contents. The results of genetic study revealed that examined SSR primers are useful tools in detecting genetic variability among leek genotypes. Dendrogram using UPGMA and principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) divided 24 leek genotypes into two different groups according to their life form, i.e., perennial and biennial genotypes. Also, principal component analysis (PCA) divided the tested genotypes into three groups (perennial and cultivar genotypes, biennial and landraces, biennial and cultivar genotypes) based on life form and biological status. However, morphological data did not show a clear pattern cluster based on PCA Conclusion: Interaction between ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate improved plant growth, yield and bioactive compounds in El-Balady cultivar. Some foreign leek genotypes responded better to our conditions with high yield than the local (El-Balady) genotype. Tested SSR primers are suitable tool to be used in programs such linkage mapping, association mapping and marker assisted selection (MAS). |