Abstract

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The experiments was conducted at Holetta Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia, to assess the extent and pattern of genetic variability of Ethiopian mustard land races with respect to oil content and its related component quality traits in Forty nine Ethiopian Mustard land races. The experiment was carried out in a simple lattice design. Univariate analysis of variance showed that there were highly significant differences among genotypes for all oil quality traits compared .The significant difference indicates the existence of genetic variability among the accessions that is important for selection and breeding program. Multivariate analyses resulted in the formation of four clusters and have shown the presence of extensive genetic diversity among the genotypes. Genetic distances were highly significant among most of the clusters. The highest genetic distance was recorded between Cluster 3 and Cluster 4 (38.2) followed by Cluster 1 and Cluster 4 (37.7), and Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 (33.3). The genetic divergence between Cluster 1 and Cluster 2, Cluster 1 and Cluster 4, Cluster 2 and Cluster 4, Cluster 3 and Cluster 4 were also highly significant. Genetic distances of land races based on seed oil quality traits between Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 were only non- significant, indicating close relationship among the genotypes. The present study also showed that geographical diversity could not necessarily be an index of variation and the factors other than geographic diversity such as genetic drift, selection pressure, closeness in pedigree and environment may be responsible for differential grouping of land races of genotypes of Ethiopian mustard.

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