Microsatellites for mahoganies: Twelve new loci for Swietenia macrophylla and its high transferability to Khaya senegalensis

Abstract

Premise of the study: A new set of 12 microsatellite markers was developed and characterized for big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae) and its transferability assayed in the African mahogany, Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss. (Meliaceae), to study population and conservation genetics of these threatened tropical timber species. Methods and Results: Using an enriched library approach twelve novel microsatellite loci were identified for S. macrophylla. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 5 to 14 and mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.819 and 0.822, respectively. Twenty microsatellite loci developed for S. macrophylla (12 from this study and eight previously published) were tested for K. senegalensis and 10 polymorphic were characterized. Conclusions: The results show the highly informative content of the new SSR loci for Swietenia macrophylla and the high effectiveness of these microsatellites for population genetics, gene flow, and mating system studies in Khaya senegalensis. © 2011 Botanical Society of America.