Development and polymorphism of microsatellite primers in Ficus pumila L. (Moraceae)

Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers were developed in the functionally dioecious Ficus pumila L. to provide polymorphic markers for further population genetic studies and parentage analysis. Methods and Results: Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed in F. pumila. These loci were successfully amplified in four F. pumila populations from eastern China (Fodu, Xiangshan, Xianju, and Hexi). These loci had 3-11 alleles across all 80 F. pumila individuals. At the population level, the number of alleles per locus varied from 1 to 8, and the observed (H _O) and expected (H _E) heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 0.900 and from 0.000 to 0.830, respectively. Linkage disequilibrium between loci FP213 and FP435 was found in three of the four tested populations. Conclusions: These loci showed high levels of polymorphism, indicating the utility of these primers in population genetic studies as well as parentage analysis of F. pumila.