DEVELOPMENT OF MICROSATELLITE MARKERS IN SPECIES OF ERIGERON (ASTERACEAE) ENDEMIC TO THE JUAN FERNANDEZ ARCHIPELAGO, CHILE

Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed in Erigeron rupicola and tested by amplification in six Erigeron species endemic to the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, Chile, to investigate genetic diversity and population structure. Methods and Results: Using 454 pyrosequencing, 24 primer pairs were developed in E. rupicola, 12 of which amplified and presented polymorphism among endemic species of Erigeron in the Archipelago. Two populations from E. rupicola and E. fernandezianus were genotyped, and one to eight alleles per locus per population were detected. The expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 to 0.812. Conclusions: These results indicate the utility of primers for cross-species populational studies in all endemic species of Erigeron in the Archipelago.