Microsatellite primers in the Chinese dove tree, Davidia involucrata (Cornaceae), a relic species of the Tertiary

Abstract

Premise of the study: The first microsatellite primers were developed for Davidia involucrata, an endangered relic species of the Tertiary in China, to further describe its genetic variability and population structure. Methods and Results: Using the Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences Containing Repeats (FIASCO) protocol, 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in 20 individuals from the germplasm collections of D. involucrata at the Hunan Forest Botanical Garden. High levels of polymorphism were revealed, with the total number of alleles per locus and the number of alleles per locus per individual ranging from two to 13 and from one to six, respectively. Conclusions: The multibanded patterns of microsatellite loci obtained in the current study confirmed that D. involucrata might be a polyploid species. The primers will be useful for studies of genetic diversity and for guiding conservation strategies for D. involucrata. © 2012 Botanical Society of America.