Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1666009 |
| Journal | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| Volume | 16 |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Sept 2025 |
Abstract
Accurate identification of Salicornia species is a fundamental prerequisite for their potential usability and domestication. This study utilized a multifaceted methodological approach integrating morphological, cytogenetic, and molecular techniques to identify species from available European Salicornia sources. The following methods were compared: nuclear DNA content analysis; application of marker-based DNA barcoding via four common Salicornia markers; investigations of RNA topologies of these marker sequences by predicting theoretical secondary structures; utilization of diagnostic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) positions within the external transcribed spacer (ETS) marker sequences for European Salicornia taxa; comparison of three promising microsatellite (SSR) markers regarding their ability to differentiate Salicornia subspecies; and evaluation of morphological data on habitus and flower characteristics utilizing a Salicornia identification key. The results demonstrate that ETS marker analysis offers reliable and cost-effective species determination, with SNP comparisons being more user friendly than phylogenetic trees are, and microsatellite markers can be differentiated down to the subspecies level via fragment length differences. However, microsatellite analysis alone is not suitable for primary species identification. DNA content can provide a rough estimation of potential species and is already more reliable than morphological methods. The differentiation among species is crucial for creating transparency for farmers and consumers and for initiating breeding processes, particularly within the context of frequent misidentification.
Keywords
- microsatellite marker fingerprinting, molecular markers, morphology, nuclear DNA content, Salicornia, species delimitation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Plant Science
Cite this
- Standard
- Harvard
- Apa
- Vancouver
- BibTeX
- RIS
In: Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 16, 1666009, 19.09.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparative assessment of species identification methods for European Salicornia sources
T2 - a multifaceted approach employing morphology, nuclear DNA content, phylogenetic markers, RNA topology, and SSR fingerprinting
AU - Fussy, Andre
AU - Austoni, Samuele
AU - Winkelmann, Traud
AU - Papenbrock, Jutta
N1 - Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2025 Fussy, Austoni, Winkelmann and Papenbrock.
PY - 2025/9/19
Y1 - 2025/9/19
N2 - Accurate identification of Salicornia species is a fundamental prerequisite for their potential usability and domestication. This study utilized a multifaceted methodological approach integrating morphological, cytogenetic, and molecular techniques to identify species from available European Salicornia sources. The following methods were compared: nuclear DNA content analysis; application of marker-based DNA barcoding via four common Salicornia markers; investigations of RNA topologies of these marker sequences by predicting theoretical secondary structures; utilization of diagnostic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) positions within the external transcribed spacer (ETS) marker sequences for European Salicornia taxa; comparison of three promising microsatellite (SSR) markers regarding their ability to differentiate Salicornia subspecies; and evaluation of morphological data on habitus and flower characteristics utilizing a Salicornia identification key. The results demonstrate that ETS marker analysis offers reliable and cost-effective species determination, with SNP comparisons being more user friendly than phylogenetic trees are, and microsatellite markers can be differentiated down to the subspecies level via fragment length differences. However, microsatellite analysis alone is not suitable for primary species identification. DNA content can provide a rough estimation of potential species and is already more reliable than morphological methods. The differentiation among species is crucial for creating transparency for farmers and consumers and for initiating breeding processes, particularly within the context of frequent misidentification.
AB - Accurate identification of Salicornia species is a fundamental prerequisite for their potential usability and domestication. This study utilized a multifaceted methodological approach integrating morphological, cytogenetic, and molecular techniques to identify species from available European Salicornia sources. The following methods were compared: nuclear DNA content analysis; application of marker-based DNA barcoding via four common Salicornia markers; investigations of RNA topologies of these marker sequences by predicting theoretical secondary structures; utilization of diagnostic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) positions within the external transcribed spacer (ETS) marker sequences for European Salicornia taxa; comparison of three promising microsatellite (SSR) markers regarding their ability to differentiate Salicornia subspecies; and evaluation of morphological data on habitus and flower characteristics utilizing a Salicornia identification key. The results demonstrate that ETS marker analysis offers reliable and cost-effective species determination, with SNP comparisons being more user friendly than phylogenetic trees are, and microsatellite markers can be differentiated down to the subspecies level via fragment length differences. However, microsatellite analysis alone is not suitable for primary species identification. DNA content can provide a rough estimation of potential species and is already more reliable than morphological methods. The differentiation among species is crucial for creating transparency for farmers and consumers and for initiating breeding processes, particularly within the context of frequent misidentification.
KW - microsatellite marker fingerprinting
KW - molecular markers
KW - morphology
KW - nuclear DNA content
KW - Salicornia
KW - species delimitation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105017923403&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpls.2025.1666009
DO - 10.3389/fpls.2025.1666009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105017923403
VL - 16
JO - Frontiers in Plant Science
JF - Frontiers in Plant Science
SN - 1664-462X
M1 - 1666009
ER -