DNA barcoding of plants: Selection of core markers for taxonomic groups

Abstract

Plant identification is a crucial and routine taxonomic procedure in order to understand and conserve the biodiversity. Anthropogenic activity, pollution, deforestation, and exploitation of natural resources have been threatening to the plant biodiversity. Unfortunately, the major concern of traditional identification of plants is the gradual declined number of taxonomic expertise and lack of tools which accurately discriminate plant seeds, plant parts and seedling, and herbal adulterant. Presently, it is of utmost importance that plant biodiversity to be preserved. To overcome this issues the advent of molecular marker based technique which utilized short fragment of DNA and correctly assign plant taxa to their taxonomic group, called as DNA barcoding. First time, single marker based taxon identification successfully implemented to an animal taxa using mitochondrial cytochrome I (COI) gene fragment. However, Plant DNA barcoding is more complex and it often requires more than one set of DNA markers. In the present review, we have compiled the recent progress of plant DNA barcoding in various taxonomic groups and utility of plastids and nuclear DNA based markers for plant identification.