Chombe, Dagmawit2018-06-252023-11-092018-06-252023-11-092008-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/3376This study was conducted with the objective of investigation of genetic variation between populations of cultivated enset and provides information for conservation and improvement of enset. Leaf samples for seventy-one enset plants were collected from two areas of SW Ethiopia (Kefficho and Essera) and genomic DNA was extracted from the samples CTAB extraction method. Inter simple sequence repeats (ISSRs) as a molecular marker was used to assess genetic diversity both within and between populations using two ISSR primers (834 and 826). A total of 26 clear and reproducible bands were amplified from the two primers. Both UPGMA and neighbor joining trees were constructed for each individual and population using Jaccard’s similarity coefficient. The trees indicated two separate clusters which are based on the origin of populations and few intermixing of samples between regions was observed. The PCO analysis also recovered the UPGMA and neighbor joining trees groups. All parameters indicated that the clones of enset from Kefficho are more diverse than clones from Essera. Moreover, partioning of Shannon’s diversity index showed that the majority of the variations were observed within populations of enset than between the two populations. In conclusion, the present study using ISSR analysis, all the diversity parameters confirm that there is high diversity in cultivated Ensete ventricosum populations of SW Ethiopia and that ISSR markers can be successfully applied for the assessment of genetic diversity of this species. Therefore further research on analysis of genetic diversity of cultivated enset population including divergent production areas has to be done and the conservation capacity of institutes both for in-situ and ex-situ should be strengthen. Key Words: - Cultivated Ensete ventricosum, Essera, Ethiopia, Genetic Diversity, ISSR, Kefficho,enCultivated Ensete ventricosumEsseraEthiopiaGenetic DiversityISSR;KeffichoThesis