title: Characterization of microsatellites in Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Araceae) and cross-amplification in related species.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the genetic diversity of a root crop, Xanthosoma sagittifolium, and to facilitate germplasm conservation, microsatellite loci were developed and characterized by genotyping 39 accessions from different geographic origins. •
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using a microsatellite-enriched library approach, 17 polymorphic microsatellite markers were identified and characterized. The number of alleles for each locus ranged from two to six. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.00 to 0.97 and from 0.09 to 0.78, respectively. Additionally, cross-amplification of these microsatellite markers was tested successfully in other species of Xanthosoma and Caladium, with rates varying from 23.5% to 100%. •
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate the effectiveness of microsatellite loci developed for the characterization of X. sagittifolium genetic diversity. They are crucial for the future investigation of population dynamics and clonal identification and, therefore, for prioritizing germplasm conservation. They should also enable research on other related species.
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, UMR AGAP, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Chloe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cathebras
authors.affiliation: Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors.forename: Renan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Traore
authors.affiliation: Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre (VARTC), Vanuatu.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malapa
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, UMR AGAP, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Ange-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Risterucci
authors.affiliation: CIRAD, UMR AGAP, F-34398 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chaïr
keywords: Caladium lindenii; Xanthosoma sagittifolium; genetic conservation; microsatellite markers; polymorphism; tuber crop