title: Development and characterization of microsatellite loci for Ficus hirta (Moraceae).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microsatellite primers were developed to investigate population genetic structure in Ficus hirta (Moraceae).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen microsatellite primers were developed and optimized for F. hirta using Illumina paired-end sequencing of pre-receptive and receptive developmental-phase female flowers. Out of 16 primers, nine were found to be polymorphic in four populations of F. hirta. Alleles per locus ranged from two to 15 across the 94 F. hirta individuals, while within-population observed and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0.000 to 0.955 and from 0.000 to 0.882, respectively. In addition, the 16 primers were tested in 29 additional Ficus species, with all found to amplify in at least 11 of these species and with most amplifying in a majority of the species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This set of microsatellite primers is the first specifically developed for F. hirta and will facilitate studies of genetic diversity within and genetic differentiation among populations of Ficus species.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, People's Republic of China ; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Linna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 USA.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Nason
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, People's Republic of China ; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuejun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
keywords: Ficus hirta; Moraceae; microsatellites; polymorphism; transcriptome sequencing