Genetic purity assessment is mandatory for seed certification. Currently, the process is done through the grow-out test (GOT), which faces many challenges, including long-term assessment. Limited information on the use of molecular markers in the genetic purity assessment of crops in African countries elicited this study's purpose. In this work, a review of the available literatures on the applications of molecular markers in the genetic purity assessment of crop varieties was done, which also highlighted the position of African countries in the adoption and application of molecular markers in the genetic purity assessment of crops. Google Scholar and ResearchGate databases were queried to find the relevant literatures. When assessing the position of Africa in the utilization of molecular marker technology in the genetic purity assessment of crops, of all the 82 studies included in this review, six were done in Africa. Evidenced by a few studies done in African countries, this work recommends that, in order to run parallel with the growing technology in seed certification and resolve the inherent constraints brought by the grow-out test (GOT), more research needs to be conducted to assess the potential of molecular markers in the genetic purity assessment of crops.

Keywords: genetic purity, molecular markers, crops, Africa, review