Résumé
The allelic diversity within 49 populations representing ten African countries, three breeding materials and one semi-wild material was determined using 16 microsatellite loci. A total of 209 alleles were revealed. The number of alleles at the 16 loci ranged from 8 to 22 (mean = 13.1). Same rare alleles were found (p < 0.05) across populations from areas with dry weather irrespective to the country. Rare alleles in Deli MPOB, which were common in natural oil palm populations, denoted their reduction due to many years of selection. Mean number of alleles per locus (A) ranged from 1.1 to 6.7 (mean = 5.0 ± 1.7). The effective number of alleles (Ae) ranged from 1.1 ± 0.2 to 4.7 ± 1.7 (mean = 3.3 ± 1.3). The Duncan?s multiple range tests separated the group of populations from Madagascar from the rest for Ae. The groups of means overlapped for the rest of the populations. When absolute values where considered, the high Ae found in populations from Nigeria (106-143% of the mean Ae from this study) tended to diminish westwards and eastwards. Implication of the data obtained in the conservation of oil palm genetic resources is explored.