Development of SSR markers for Astragalus lehmannianus, a vulnerable species from northwestern China

Abstract

Premise: Astragalus lehmannianus (Fabaceae) is a vulnerable species found in the cold deserts of northwestern China. We aimed to characterize polymorphic microsatellite loci for A. lehmannianus to support future studies of population genetic dynamics and conservation management of the species. Methods and Results: We used next-generation sequencing to detect polymorphic microsatellites. Twenty-five potential microsatellite loci were identified, 12 of which were polymorphic and present in the three study populations of A. lehmannianus. Levels of observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.000–1.000 and 0.000–0.827, respectively. Furthermore, two and five of the 12 developed primers were successfully amplified in two congeneric species, A. arpilobus and A. oxyglottis, respectively. Conclusions: These newly developed microsatellite markers can be used to determine population diversity and to develop conservation strategies in A. lehmannianus.