The aim of these studies was to analyse the genetic changes induced by natural aging during long-term seed storage of rye. For this purpose, the AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) technique was applied. In the experiment, DNA variation was demonstrated in seven-day-old seedlings of four seed samples of cv. Dańkowskie Złote, showing different levels of viability following long-term storage. Among the 362 AFLP fragments analysed, 73 had significantly different frequencies in at least one of the series. Principle Coordinate Analysis (PCA) based on molecular data revealed differences between the progenies of naturally aged seed samples with variable initial viability. It was clearly shown that materials with low viability differed in structure from highly viable ones, and that the population changes exhibited in the first case are preserved through regenerations. Although changes that were observed for initially viable samples were not so significant, they still occurred - probably as a result of genetic shift