Genetic analysis of Ethiopian mustard genotypes using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers

Genetic diversity within Brassica carinata A. Braun has not been extensively examined with molecular markers. The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic relationships among 39 B. carinata genotypes using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Thirty-nine genotypes of B. carinata were analyzed using six AFLP primer combinations. A total of 189 polymorphic fragments were scored, with an average of 32 fragments per primer combination. Genetic distance estimates (GDEs) based on AFLPs was calculated and found to range from 0.346 to 0.639 with a mean of 0.504 ± 0.002. Polymorphic rates ranged from 50 to 80%. The unweighted pair group method of arithmetic averages (UPGMA) cluster analysis group these genotypes into seven distinct clusters. These data demonstrate that AFLP is a reliable tool and permits greater insights into the genetic diversity of B. carinata.