Background: A simultaneous population increase and erratic climatic condition call for urgent innovative approaches in food production worldwide. Modern biotechnology provides effective ways to increase crop yield, nutritional quality and resistance against pests or other abiotic stresses. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is a widely cultivated essential oil seed crop primarily grown in the northern Nigeria.

Purpose: Limited information exists on the genetic diversity of Nigerian Sesame germplasm and how genetic variation influence nutritional quality, particularly mineral and vitamin composition.

Methods: In this study, genetic variability of Nigerian sesame genotypes using ISSR markers and its relationship to minerals and vitamins composition was investigated. The vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B4, B6) and Folic acid were analysed using titrimetric methods of Harbone (1983), while atomic absorption spectrophotometric method were used for the determination of minerals (Fe, Cu, Ca, Mg, Mn and Zn).

Results: The results of the analysis of the molecular variance (AMOVA) showed 39% among individual and 61% within individual. The analysis revealed 25 alleles among the 10 genotypes and the average number of alleles per locus was 5, the lowest and highest numbers of alleles were 3 and 9. The polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.31 (UBC 840) to 0.87 (UBC 811) with an average of 0.59. The 10 genotypes assessed were clustered into four groups. Group1 consisted of DOM 012, NAK 017, MAR 016, and AGAI 039, while group II had DUM 043 and NAS 034 varieties. Similarly, group III consisted of LAP 041, GUM 024, NGB/019 and JIG 074.