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Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is the second most important oilseed crop in the highlands of Ethiopia where it has been cultivated for its valuable seed-oil since antiquity. Sixty accessions of linseed predominantly from Ethiopia were analysed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to assess their genetic diversity. Out of seven pairs of AFLP primers screened, Eco-ACA/ Mse-CAT and Eco-ACA/ Mse-CTT resulted in a greater number of amplification products. The estimated genetic distance for pairwise accessions significantly (P < 0.001) varied from 0.29 to 0.71, indicating the prevalence of genetic diversity in both exotic and local collections. Introductions from Canada and collections from different parts of Ethiopia, especially those from central and northwest regions revealed considerable variations between and within their geographic locations and thus can be used to create genetic variations. Cluster analysis categorized the 60 accessions into 13 classes, each consisting of one to 14 accessions. Two introduced accession were individually clustered, showing their greater divergence. AFLP analysis was found effective in discriminating the accessions and in selecting suitable parents for future genetic improvement. It was also useful for efficient management of genetic resources, eliminating unnecessary duplications.


Key words/phrases: AFLP, DNA markers, genetic diversity, linseed


SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 28 (1) 2005: 41–50