Genetic diversity in tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc) Trotter] and its relatives as revealed by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs

Tef is one of the staple cereal crops in Ethiopia. To evaluate genetic diversity of tef and its relatives, 47 accessions of tef, three accessions of E. pilosa, and six accessions of E.curvula were analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The level of polymorphism among the wild species was extremely high, while low polymorphism was detected among tef accessions. All cultivars and wild species under study could be distinguished with the help of different primers, thereby indicating the potential of RAPD in the genetic fingerprinting of tef. Accessions from E. curvula and E. pilosa can be differentiated by a single selected primer. In spite of low polymorphism within tef, accessions under study could be distinguished by a combination of selected primers. Cluster analysis indicated that tef is a very closely related species to E. pilosa with 45% similarity, supporting the hypothesis that tef originated from E. pilosa based on morphological data. Given that RAPD are relatively quick, simple to use, and are not subjected to environmental influences, they provide a valuable new approach for the genetic fingerprinting and study of genetic diversity in tef.