Premise of the study: To evaluate genetic variation and structure of Ilex chinensis (Aquifoliaceae), a dioecious evergreen tree, we developed 25 microsatellite markers from its nuclear genome.
Methods and results: Based on the biotin-streptavidin capture method, 10 polymorphic and 15 monomorphic microsatellite markers were developed. Ten polymorphic loci were characterized by 87 individuals sampled from three populations located in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, China. The number of alleles per locus varied from two to 12. The observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.0435-0.9032 and 0.3121-0.8343, respectively.
Conclusions: These microsatellite markers can be useful for further genetic studies of I. chinensis populations, and so contribute to forest restoration and management.
Keywords: Aquifoliaceae; Ilex chinensis; evergreen broadleaved forests; genetic diversity; genetic structure; simple sequence repeat (SSR).