ANALYSIS OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN LINSEED USING AFLP MARKERS

Authors

  • Adugna Wakjira
  • C. D. Viljoen
  • M. T. Labuschagne

Keywords:

AFLP, DNA markers, genetic diversity, linseed

Abstract

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

Published

2023-02-23