Microsatellite markers for diverse Salix species

Forty-six microsatellites were isolated from an enriched library of Salix butjatica and tested on 20 individuals (of nine species/hybrids) from the National Willows Collection (IACR-Long Ashton Research Station, UK). Twenty-nine were monomorphic, gave multilocus or unscorable patterns, or were duplicates. The remaining 17 microsatellites gave 2-22 alleles/ locus. Three microsatellites successfully cross-amplified in 31 additional Salix species. A further six were tested on panels comprising 6-25 individuals from the 31 species. Cross-amplification was successful in all cases. These results suggest that the microsatellites isolated here should prove useful for population studies in a wide range of Salix species.