Plant DNA barcoding: from gene to genome

DNA barcoding is currently a widely used and effective tool that enables rapid and accurate identification of plant species; however, none of the available loci work across all species. Because single-locus DNA barcodes lack adequate variations in closely related taxa, recent barcoding studies have placed high emphasis on the use of whole-chloroplast genome sequences which are now more readily available as a consequence of improving sequencing technologies. While chloroplast genome sequencing can already deliver a reliable barcode for accurate plant identification it is not yet resource-effective and does not yet offer the speed of analysis provided by single-locus barcodes to unspecialized laboratory…

• SA
  Science and Technology Development Fund
• UD
  Universidade de Macau
• FP
  Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Ciências e da Tecnologia