Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for the threatened African endemic tree species Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir

To study the genetic diversity and structure of the forest species Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir., seventeen polymorphic nuclear microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized, using next‐generation sequencing. Three hundred and sixty‐five (365) individuals were analyzed within fifteen (15) West African populations. The number of alleles for these loci varied from 4 to 30, and the heterozygosity varied from 0.23 to 0.82. The seventeen (17) primers designed here will allow characterizing the genetic diversity of this threaten species on its natural stands and to better understand the population differentiation mechanisms shaping it. In order to understand the genetic structure of populations and to assess the genetic diversity of Pterocarpus erinaceus (Fabaceae) in West Africa, genetic markers, in this case nuclear microsatellites, were isolated from individuals come from 4 countries, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The knowledge acquired will allow us to understand the functioning and evolution of the species in order to implement effective conservation strategies essential for the sustainable management of genetic resources.