Development of microsatellite markers in a riparian shrub, Spiraea thunbergii (Rosaceae)

 Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers in the deciduous shrub Spiraea thunbergii were developed to investigate genetic diversity and population genetic structure. Cross-species transferability was assayed in four congeneric species.  Methods and Results: Using a compound simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker method, 10 primer sets were identifi ed in Japanese populations of S. thunbergii . The primers amplifi ed compound SSRs with two to fialleles per locus. More than half of the primers were also amplifi ed in S. prunifolia , S. nipponica var. nipponica , and S. japonica .  Conclusions: These markers might be useful for future studies of population genetics of S. thunbergii and congeneric species.