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Effectiveness of several bulking strategies was empirically assessed in detecting RAPD variations and determining genetic relationships of five flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) landrace accessions. Bulking ten individuals before and after DNA isolations generated consistent RAPD variations. About 30% of the polymorphic RAPD loci observed in the plant-by-plant (PBP) sample were difficult to score and/or undetected in the bulked samples of the same accession. Heterogeneity among the six bulked samples of the same accession was observed at 5.6% of the loci scored. The frequency of a specific RAPD band present in those individuals used to form a bulk was at least 1/11 for its detection in the bulked sample. In spite of these limitations, bulking still generated compatible genetic relationships of the five accessions from its PBP sampling.