Abstract
Melia volkensii Gurke is a drought-tolerant tree endemic to the drylands of eastern Africa. In Kenya, the tree has been overexploited for use as timber, and domestication efforts have demonstrated diversity in both genetically controlled tree growth and form. Genetic markers, however, have not yet been developed to support conservation and breeding efforts in the species. In the present study, 15 novel microsatellite markers were developed for M. volkensii Gurke. Genetic variation at these loci was examined in 89 samples from three natural populations in Kenya. All loci were highly polymorphic with mean number of alleles, expected heterozygosity and observed heterozygosity per locus in samples collected from three natural populations in Kenya having values of 9.92, 0.72 and 0.67, respectively. The microsatellite markers developed in the present study will serve as useful tools in the study of population genetics, ecology, conservation and management of M. volkensii.
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Acknowledgments
We would like to thank Dr. T. Hirao, Dr. K. Mishima and other members of Forest Tree Breeding Center for supporting our experiments. We also appreciate the assistance provided by J. Kariuki, J. Machua and J. Gicheru in the sampling of plant materials. This study was conducted in collaboration with the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) and the Forest Tree Breeding Center of Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI) of Japan. We are grateful to the directors of both these institutions for providing us with a supportive research environment.
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Hanaoka, S., Muturi, G.M. & Watanabe, A. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Melia volkensii Gurke. Conservation Genet Resour 4, 395–398 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9558-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-011-9558-5