Species-specific Identification of Larix gmelini, L. olgensis and L. principis-rupprechtii by RAPD Markers

This article describes the species-specific identification of the needle and seed endosperm of the main native larch species (Larix gmelini, L. olgensis and L. principis-rupprechtii) from northern China by RAPD. Four primers with high polymorphism and repeatability were obtained to distinguish the three species. Use of the primer OPB-11 amplified the same species-specific bands of genomic DNA in L. gmelini and L. olgensis at 1 500 bp but not in L. principis-rupprechtii. Use of the primer OPX-14 amplified the species-specific band in L. gmelini at 1 200 bp but not in L. olgensis, both from needle and seed endosperm. The other two primers were used to identify L. gmelini and L. olgensis with needles as the material and to identify L. olgensis and L. principis-rupprechtii with endosperms as the material, respectively. This study provides a new method for species-specific identification of these three larch species at the molecular level.