ABSTRACT. Forty core primers were used to construct a DNA fingerprint database of 132 cotton species based on multiplex fluorescence detection technology. A high first successful ratio of 99.04% was demonstrated with tetraplex polymerase chain reaction. Forty primer pairs amplified a total of 262 genotypes among 132 species, with an average of 6.55 per primer and values of polymorphism information content varying from 0.340 to 0.882. Conflicting DNA homozygous ratios were found in various species. The highest DNA homozygous ratio was found in landrace standard cultivars, which had an 81.46% DNA homozygous ratio. The lowest occurred in a group of 2010 leading cultivars with a homozygous ratio of 63.04%. Genetic diversity of the 132 species was briefly analyzed using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means.

ABSTRACT. Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (Vitaceae) is an endangered medicinal plant endemic to China. Because of its widely known efficacy for treating many health problems, wild resources of this species are currently undergoing a rapid decline. Few studies have been conducted examining the population genetics or development of microsatellite loci for this plant. In this study, 14 microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for T. hemsleyanum using a doublesuppression PCR method. Polymorphisms were tested with a total of 50 individuals from 2 natural populations. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3-9, with an average of 7 alleles per locus. The observed and expected heterozygosity per locus ranged from 0-1 and from 0.068-0.803, respectively. The polymorphism information content value varied from 0.215-0.760. These loci may facilitate further genetic studies of populations of T. hemsleyanum and provide guidance for