Isolation and characterization of 18 microsatellites for the invasive native Pedicularis kansuensis (Orobanchaceae)

To quantify the population-level genetic characteristics of Pedicularis kansuensis, polymorphic microsatellite loci (simple sequence repeats) were identified and characterized. Methods and Results: Using Illumina HiSeq paired-end reads from genomic DNA, searches for repeat motifs identified 1594 sequences by four softwares simultaneously. We developed and characterized 18 polymorphic microsatellite primers for P. kansuensis using 45 individuals that were collected from three P. kansuensis populations. The number of alleles varied from two to 12. The observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.182 to 0.933 and 0.227 to 0.904 in the pooled population, respectively. All of the primers that were developed were also successfully applied in Pedicularis cheilanthifolia and Pedicularis violascens. These markers should be useful in probing the genetic diversity, genetic structure of P. kansuensis, which could provide information about assessment and prediction of potential risks of this species in its distribution areas.