Development of new microsatellite markers for Cola acuminata (Malvaceae), a socio-economically important fruit tree species in Central Africa

Background and aims – We developed a new set of nuclear microsatellite markers for Cola acuminata (Malvaceae), an important African food tree species commonly known as the kola nut. Probably originating from the tropical rainforests of the Congo Basin, C. acuminata is widely cultivated in the humid savannahs of the region where its nuts are sold throughout Central and West Africa for their stimulant properties. Nuclear microsatellite markers (SSRs) are well suited for assessing the genetic diversity and population structure of plant species due to their high variability. Material and methods – Leaf samples were collected from 84 C. acuminata cultivated individuals across three sites in Cameroon, two in the savannah zone, one in the forest zone. SSR markers were developed by sequencing genomic DNA from two individuals using an Illumina HiSeq platform. Genetic diversity was assessed based on 14 SSR markers genotyped in 84 individuals, and marker transferability to the closely related species Cola nitida was tested. Key results – Forty-eight new microsatellite loci were developed, of which 14 were polymorphic in C. acuminata . The results demonstrated a high level of genetic diversity with the presence of two to 33 alleles per locus (with an average of 14.14) across the three sites. The transferability of these markers was confirmed with 13 out of the 14 SSRs successfully amplifying in the closely related species, Cola nitida . Conclusion – These newly developed SSRs will be useful for assessing genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, and gene flow patterns of C. acuminata in the tropical forests of Central Africa. Preliminary results suggest genetic similarity between the two savannah sites. However, these two sites were significantly differentiated from the site in the forest zone. This suggests that the propagation material introduced in the savannah zone did not originate from the forest in southern Cameroon.