Evaluating the Diversity and Breeding Prospects of Ukrainian Spring Camelina Genotypes

—Camelina or false flax ( Camelina sativa ) is one of the most promising oilseed crops as a feedstock for biofuel production. It is thought that this species originated in the Eastern European region, where this species emerged due to polyploidization or crossing between wild representatives of the Camelina genus. As a result, camelina is characterized by a low level of genetic diversity, which imposes limitations on breeding and improvement of this crop. Although there are some studies discussing genetic polymorphism among the existing camelina cultivars, the assessments of Ukrainian genotypes are scarce, although this region belongs to the center of C. sativa ’s origin. For the first time, an integrated assessment of genetic diversity among Ukrainian camelina breeding lines and cultivars, as well as analyzed the morphometric and yield parameters of their seed oil and its fatty acid composition, has been performed. Based on the results of chromatographic analysis, two camelina genotypes (FEORZhYaF-2 and FEORZhYaFD) with seed lipids to a greater extent composed of fatty acids with a short carbon chain (below C18) have been distinguished. Genetic distances between the studied genotypes have also been identified using ISSR, SSR, and ILP (actin and β-tubulin) markers. The obtained data were compared with the crop productivity and morphometric parameters, which allowed for differentiating the most promising pairs of phenotypes for further cross breeding. For example, crossing the FEORZhYaF-2 and FEORZhYaFD breeding lines with the cultivars Mirazh and Peremoha in different combinations may hypothetically provide the trait of heterosis in the first generation. This approach to the analysis of camelina breeding samples and genetic resources may become a powerful instrument for improving the given oil-bearing crop.