Microsatellite analysis of Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) accessions from various regions in Iran reveals multiple genotypes

Nano-silicone and Ascophyllum nodosum-based biostimulant down-regulates the negative effect of in vitro induced-salinity in Rosa damascena

BACKGROUND

Rosa damascena is extensively cultivated in various regions of Iran due to its aesthetic attributes, medicinal qualities, and essential oil production. This study investigated the efficacy of Ascophyllum nodosum extract (AnE) at concentrations of 0, 2, and 3 g L- 1 and Nano-silicon (nSiO2) at concentrations of 0, 50, and 100 mg L- 1 in ameliorating the impact of salinity on two genotypes of Damask rose ('Chaharfasl' and 'Kashan') under in vitro culture conditions. Additionally, various physio-chemical characteristics of R. damascena explants were assessed.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that exposure to 100 mM NaCl resulted in a substantial reduction in the Relative Water Content (RWC), Membrane Stability Index (MSI), leaf pigments (Chlorophyll b, Chlorophyll a, total Chlorophyll, and carotenoids), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, and protein content in both genotypes when compared to control conditions. Salinity induced a significant increase in the parameter F0 and a decrease in the parameter Fv/Fm compared to the control conditions in both genotypes. Nonetheless, the genotype Kashan treated with 3 g L- 1 AnE + 100 mg L- 1 nSiO2 exhibited the maximum Fm value under control conditions, with a significant difference compared to other treatments. Furthermore, salinity caused a considerable reduction in Fm in both 'Kashan' and 'Chaharfasl' by 22% and 17%, respectively, when compared to the control condition. 'Kashan' displayed the maximum Fv/Fm compared to the other genotype. The maximum levels of Malondialdehyde (MAD) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were also observed in explants affected by salinity. The combination of 3 g L- 1 AnE + 100 mg L- 1 nSiO2, followed by 2 g L- 1 AnE + 100 mg L- 1 nSiO2, exhibited substantial positive effects. Salinity also led to an increase in proline content and the activity of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT) in both genotypes. The activity of these enzymes was further enhanced when AnE was applied at concentrations of 2 and 3 g L- 1 in combination with 100 mg L- 1 nSiO2.

CONCLUSIONS

The 'Kashan' genotype displayed greater tolerance to salinity by enhancing water balance, maintaining membrane integrity, and augmenting the activity of antioxidant enzymes compared to 'Chaharfasl'. The utilization of nSiO2 and AnE biostimulants demonstrated potential benefits for R. damascena, both under salinity and control conditions. These findings hold substantial importance for researchers, policymakers, and farmers, offering valuable insights into the development of salinity-tolerant crop varieties.

Phenotyping floral traits and essential oil profiling revealed considerable variations in clonal selections of damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.)

Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) is a high-value aromatic plant species belonging to the family Rosaceae. It is being cultivated throughout the world for rose essential oil production. Besides its higher demand in the aromatic and cosmetic industry, the essential oil obtained has many pharmacological and cytotoxic activities. The primary concern of growers with the available varieties of damask rose is short flowering duration, low essential oil content and unstable yield. Thus, there is a requirement for developing new stable varieties with higher flower yield and essential oil content. The present study evaluated the variations in the flower yield parameters, essential oil content, and essential oil compounds in different clonal selections of damask rose. These clonal selections have been developed through a half-sib progeny approach from commercially available varieties 'Jwala' and 'Himroz.' The fresh flower yield varied from 629.57 to 965.7 g per plant, while the essential oil content ranged from 0.030-0.045% among the clonal selections. The essential oil profiling via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed significant variations in the essential oil compounds. Acyclic monoterpene alcohols citronellol (20.35-44.75%) and geraniol (15.63-27.76%) were highest, followed by long-chain hydrocarbons, i.e., nonadecane (13.02-28.78%). The clonal selection CSIR-IHBT-RD-04 was unique in terms of the highest citronellol content (44.75%) and citronellol/geraniol (C/G) ratio of 1.93%. This selection has the potential use as a parental line in future genetic improvement programs of damask rose to achieve higher yield and better quality of rose essential oil.

Modulation of physiological and biochemical traits of two genotypes of Rosa damascena Mill. by SiO2-NPs under In vitro drought stress

BACKGROUND

Drought is a major abiotic stress that restricts plant growth and efficiency although some nutrients such as silicon improve drought tolerance by regulating the biosynthesis and accumulating some osmolytes. In this regard, a completely randomized factorial design was performed with three factors including two genotypes ('Maragheh' and 'Kashan'), three concentrations of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs) (0, 50, and 100 mg L- 1), and five concentrations of PEG (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 g L- 1) with three replications.

RESULTS

The findings showed that drought stress decreased protein content and it was improved by SiO2-NPs, so the genotype of 'Maragheh' treated with 100 mg L- 1 SiO2-NPs had the highest protein content. Under severe drought stress, had a higher membrane stability index (MSI) than 'Kashan', and the 'Maragheh' explants subjected to 100 mg L- 1 SiO2-NPs exhibited the uppermost MSI. The explants supplemented with 100 mg L- 1 SiO2-NPs sustained their photosynthetic parameters more in comparison with other treatments under drought stress conditions and as well as 100 mg L- 1 SiO2-NPs showed higher content of protein and proline of 'Maragheh' than 'Kashan'. Drought stress reduced Fm, Fv/Fm, and Fv, while SiO2-NPs treatment enhanced these parameters. SiO2-NPs also improved water deficit tolerance by enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reducing lipid peroxidation and H2O2 concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the findings, the genotype 'Maragheh' was more tolerance to drought stress than 'Kashan' by improving water balance, antioxidant enzyme activities, and membrane stability as it was obtained from the unpublished previous evaluation in in vivo conditions and we concluded based on these results, in vitro culture can be used for drought screening in Damask rose plants. The results of the current study revealed that the induced drought stress by polyethylene glycol (PEG) in two Damask rose genotypes was ameliorated with SiO2-NPs and the tolerance genotypes were better than the sensitive ones in response to SiO2-NPs treatment.

Phytochemical, Physiochemical, Macroscopic, and Microscopic Analysis of Rosa damascena Flower Petals and Buds

Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of R. damascena buds and flower petals was used to find the main morphological and anatomical features of these types of medicinal plant material (MPM). The presence of polysaccharides, free and bound monosaccharides, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, and essential oils was confirmed by chemical and histochemical reactions. The quality indicator of R. damascena buds and flower petals was evaluated in this study; weight loss on drying gave the next result: 6.69 ± 0.20% for flower petals and 6.65 ± 0.13% for buds. The swelling index showed a high result for R. damascena flower petals and buds. R. damascena buds swelling index—5 ± 0.2 and R. damascenaflower petals swelling index—15 ± 0.6. The determination of volatile substances by GC/MS shows the presence of 18 volatile compounds in flower petals and buds, this number varies up to 17. Nonadecane, heneicosane, and octadecane are the main components in both medicinal plant materials. Both buds and flower petals contain approximately the same amount of citronellol. Phenylethyl alcohol is present in large amounts in buds but in small amounts in flower petals. R. damascena flower petals and buds are the sources of volatile compounds, phenols, and polysaccharides. The results of our investigation showed great differences and similarities between buds and flower petals of R. damascena. We have confirmed that not only buds but also flower petals could be a source of biologically active substances (BASs) such as essential oils, polysaccharides, and phenolic compounds. Flower petals could be an alternative MPM. We would also like to underline the importance of standard documentation for MPM: its macro and microscopic description, harvest time, control techniques of the qualitative composition, and the quantitative content of the main BAS. Because it will help in the production of various high-quality products that can be used in medicine, pharmacy, food, and the perfume industries.

Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Extract from Flowers of Rosa damascena from Morocco

Rosa damascena is referred to as the queen of roses due to its ornamental, flavoring, and perfuming uses, along with its recognized use in therapy. This study aimed to investigate the total phenols and flavonoids contents, the phenolic compounds, and study the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the hydroethanolic extract from Rosa damascena flowers, collected from the Middle Atlas of Morocco (Khenifra). The total phenols and flavonoids were assessed using gallic acid and quercetin as standards, and the phenolic compounds were characterized using HPLC-PDA-ESI/MS. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by two methods, namely ferric reducing assay power and total antioxidant capacity. The broth microdilution method was employed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of extract against four bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes). Up to 16 phenolic compounds belonging to tannins and flavonoids were positively identified in the Rosa damascena extract. The latter displayed high antioxidant activity and exhibited a bacteriostatic effect against Escherichia coli and a bactericidal effect against Salmonella typhimuriumn, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. As a result, the flowers of Rosa damascena might be employed as natural agents in the pharmaceutical field.

Genetic and Biochemical Aspects of Floral Scents in Roses

Floral scents possess high ornamental and economic values to rose production in the floricultural industry. In the past two decades, molecular bases of floral scent production have been studied in the rose as well as their genetic inheritance. Some significant achievements have been acquired, such as the comprehensive rose genome and the finding of a novel geraniol synthase in plants. In this review, we summarize the composition of floral scents in modern roses, focusing on the recent advances in the molecular mechanisms of floral scent production and emission, as well as the latest developments in molecular breeding and metabolic engineering of rose scents. It could provide useful information for both studying and improving the floral scent production in the rose.

Variation of Chromosome Composition in a Full-Sib Population Derived From 2x × 3x Interploidy Cross of Populus

Interploidy cross commonly results in complex chromosome number and structural variations. In our previous study, a progeny with segregated ploidy levels was produced by an interploidy cross between diploid female parent Populus tomentosa × Populus bolleana clone TB03 and triploid male parent Populus alba × Populus berolinensis 'Yinzhong'. However, the chromosome compositions of aneuploid genotypes in the progeny were still unclear. In the present study, a microsatellite DNA allele counting-peak ratios (MAC-PR) method was employed to analyze allelic configurations of each genotype to clarify their chromosome compositions, while 45S rDNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was used to reveal the mechanism of chromosome number variation. Based on the MAC-PR analysis of 47 polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers distributed across all 19 chromosomes of Populus, both chromosomal number and structural variations were detected for the progeny. In the progeny, 26 hypo-triploids, 1 hyper-triploid, 16 hypo-tetraploids, 10 tetraploids, and 5 hyper-tetraploids were found. A total of 13 putative structural variation events (duplications and/or deletions) were detected in 12 genotypes, involved in chromosomes 3, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, and 18. The 46.2% (six events) structural variation events occurred on chromosome 6, suggesting that there probably is a chromosome breakpoint near the SSR loci of chromosome 6. Based on calculation of the allelic information, the transmission of paternal heterozygosity in the hypo-triploids, hyper-triploid, hypo-tetraploids, tetraploids, and hyper-tetraploids were 0.748, 0.887, 0.830, 0.833, and 0.836, respectively, indicating that the viable pollen gains of the male parent 'Yinzhong' were able to transmit high heterozygosity to progeny. Furthermore, 45S rDNA-FISH analysis showed that specific-chromosome segregation feature during meiosis and chromosome appointment in normal and fused daughter nuclei of telophase II of 'Yinzhong,' which explained that the formation of aneuploids and tetraploids in the progeny could be attributed to imbalanced meiotic chromosomal segregation and division restitution of 'Yinzhong,' The data of chromosomal composition and structural variation of each aneuploid in the full-sib progeny of TB03 × 'Yinzhong' lays a foundation for analyzing mechanisms of trait variation relying on chromosome or gene dosages in Populus.

Genetic diversity analysis in a mini core collection of Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) germplasm from Iran using URP and SCoT markers

BACKGROUND

Rosa damascena Mill is a well-known species of the rose family. It is famous for its essential oil content. The aim of the present study was to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of a mini core collection of the Iranian Damask rose germplasm. This involved the use of universal rice primers (URP) and start codon targeted (SCoT) molecular markers.

RESULTS

Fourteen URP and twelve SCoT primers amplified 268 and 216 loci, with an average of 19.21 and 18.18 polymorphic fragments per primer, respectively. The polymorphic information content for URR and SCoT primers ranged from 0.38 to 0.48 and 0.11 to 0.45, with the resolving power ranging from 8.75 to 13.05 and 9.9 to 14.59, respectively. Clustering was based on neighbor-joining (NJ). The mini core collection contained 40 accessions and was divided into three distinct clusters, centered on both markers and on the combination of data.

CONCLUSION

Cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis were consistent with genetic relationships derived by STRUCTURE analysis. The findings showed that patterns of grouping did not correlate with geographical origin. Both molecular markers demonstrated that the accessions were not genetically diverse as expected, thereby highlighting the possibility that gene flow occurred between populations.

Relationships of irrigation water and soil physical and chemical characteristics with yield, chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of Damask rose essential oil

Damask rose (Rosa damascena Mill.) is an aromatic medicinal plant rich in bioactive compounds with high value in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Knowledge of the factors affecting the quantitative and qualitative properties of the compounds in its essential oil (EO) and the bioactivity of this EO is important in optimizing Damask rose cultivation and production. This research studied, for the first time, the effects of irrigation water and soil chemical and physical characteristics on the EO yield of this important commercial species and on it chemical composition and antimicrobial activity. The results showed the significant effect of crop cultivation site on yield, chemical composition and inhibition zone diameter (IZD) at the 1% significance level. The highest EO yield (~0.0266%), which belonged to the Noushabad site (EO_N), resulted from the increased soil electrical conductivity (EC) and the higher sand, gypsum and lime contents and irrigation water salinity. Analysis of the chemical composition of the EOs showed that their main compounds at all three crop sites were citronellol, nonadecane, heneicosane and geraniol. The EO obtained from the Yazdel site (EO_Y) had the highest contents of citronellol and geraniol (~29.05% and ~6.85%) that were directly correlated with soil potassium and phosphorus contents and inversely correlated with soil acidity and EC and its lime, nitrogen, and organic carbon contents. Antimicrobial assays indicated that the EO extracted from the Sefidshahr site (EO_S), which had the largest inhibition zone diameter (~14.67 mm) for Aspergillus brasiliensis (IZD~14.67 mm) and the lowest MIC (~31.25 μg/mL) for Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, exhibited efficacy similar to that of rifampin, probably due to the dominance of the alkanes in it. The EO_Y and EO_S also exhibited the strongest inhibitory and lethal activity against Candida albicans (MIC and MBC <15.63 μg/mL for EO_Y and MIC and MBC = 62.5 μg/mL for EO_S), which were six and four times stronger than those of nystatin, respectively. Therefore, the selected EOs can act as a potentially promising strategy for fighting microbial strains.

Diversity Analysis of Sweet Potato Genetic Resources Using Morphological and Qualitative Traits and Molecular Markers

The European Union (EU) market for sweet potatoes has increased by 100% over the last five years, and sweet potato cultivation in southern European countries is a new opportunity for the EU to exploit and introduce new genotypes. In view of this demand, the origins of the principal Italian sweet potato clones, compared with a core collection of genotypes from Central and Southern America, were investigated for the first time. This was accomplished by combining a genetic analysis, exploiting 14 hypervariable microsatellite markers, with morphological and chemical measurements based on 16 parameters. From the molecular analyses, Italian accessions were determined to be genetically very similar to the South American germplasm, but they were sub-clustered into two groups. This finding was subsequently confirmed by the morphological and chemical measurements. Moreover, the analysis of the genetic structure of the population suggested that one of the two groups of Italian genotypes may have descended from one of the South American accessions, as predicted on the basis of the shared morphological characteristics and molecular fingerprints. Overall, the combination of two different characterization methods, genetic markers and agronomic traits, was effective in differentiating or clustering the sweet potato genotypes, in agreement with their geographical origin or phenotypic descriptors. This information could be exploited by both breeders and farmers to detect and protect commercial varieties, and hence for traceability purposes.

Genetic relationships and evolution of old Chinese garden roses based on SSRs and chromosome diversity

Old Chinese garden roses are the foundation of the modern rose, which is one of the best-selling ornamental plants. However, the horticultural grouping and evolution of old Chinese garden roses are unclear. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were employed to survey genetic diversity in old Chinese garden roses and genetic differentiation was estimated among different rose groups. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to study the physical localization of 5 S rDNA genes and a karyotype analysis was performed. The SSR data suggest that old Chinese garden roses could be divided into Old Blush group, Odorata group and Ancient hybrid China group. The Old Blush group had the most primitive karyotype. The Ancient hybrid China group and modern rose had the most evolved karyotypes and the highest genetic diversity. During the evolution of rose cultivars, 5 S rDNA increased in number, partially weakened in signal intensity and exhibited variation in distance from the centromere. In conclusion, rose cultivars evolved from the Old Blush Group to the Odorata group, the Ancient Hybrid China group and the modern rose. This work provides a basis for the collection, identification, conservation and innovation of rose germplasm resources.

Rosa Damascena oil improved sexual function and testosterone in male patients with opium use disorder under methadone maintenance therapy-results from a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Some patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) are treated with methadone maintenance therapy (MMT). However, as with opioids, methadone has major side-effects; sexual dysfunction is a particularly distressing such effect. Rosa Damascena oil has been shown to reduce subjective sexual dysfunction in patients with major depressive disorders, but its influence on testosterone has not so far been tested. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of Rosa Damascena oil on sexual dysfunction and testosterone levels among male patients with OUD and undergoing MMT.

METHODS

A total of 50 male patients (mean age: 40 years) diagnosed with OUD and receiving MMT were randomly assigned either to the Rosa Damascena oil (drops) or a placebo condition. At baseline, and four and eight weeks later, patients completed questionnaires covering sexual and erectile function. Blood samples to assess testosterone levels were taken at baseline and eight weeks later on completion of the study.

RESULTS

Over time sexual dysfunction decreased, and testosterone increased in the Rosa Damascena oil, but not in the placebo condition. Sexual dysfunction scores and testosterone levels were not consistently related.

CONCLUSIONS

Results from this double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial showed that Rosa Damascena oil improved sexual function and testosterone levels among males with OUD and undergoing MMT.

Nineteenth century French rose (Rosa sp.) germplasm shows a shift over time from a European to an Asian genetic background

Hybridization with introduced genetic resources is commonly practiced in ornamental plant breeding to introgress desired traits. The 19th century was a golden age for rose breeding in France. The objective here was to study the evolution of rose genetic diversity over this period, which included the introduction of Asian genotypes into Europe. A large sample of 1228 garden roses encompassing the conserved diversity cultivated during the 18th and 19th centuries was genotyped with 32 microsatellite primer pairs. Its genetic diversity and structure were clarified. Wide diversity structured in 16 genetic groups was observed. Genetic differentiation was detected between ancient European and Asian accessions, and a temporal shift from a European to an Asian genetic background was observed in cultivated European hybrids during the 19th century. Frequent crosses with Asian roses throughout the 19th century and/or selection for Asiatic traits may have induced this shift. In addition, the consistency of the results with respect to a horticultural classification is discussed. Some horticultural groups, defined according to phenotype and/or knowledge of their pedigree, seem to be genetically more consistent than others, highlighting the difficulty of classifying cultivated plants. Therefore, the horticultural classification is probably more appropriate for commercial purposes rather than genetic relatedness, especially to define preservation and breeding strategies.

The Polyploid Series of the Achillea millefolium Aggregate in the Iberian Peninsula Investigated Using Microsatellites

The Achillea millefolium aggregate is one of the most diverse polyploid complexes of the Northern hemisphere and has its western Eurasian boundary in the Iberian Peninsula. Four ploidy levels have been detected in A. millefolium, three of which have already been found in Iberia (diploid, hexaploid and octoploid), and a fourth (tetraploid) reported during the preparation of this paper. We collected a sample from 26 Iberian populations comprising all ploidy levels, and we used microsatellite markers analyzed as dominant in view of the high ploidy levels. Our goals were to quantify the genetic diversity of A. millefolium in the Iberian Peninsula, to elucidate its genetic structure, to investigate the differences in ploidy levels, and to analyse the dispersal of the species. The lack of spatial genetic structure recovered is linked to both high levels of gene flow between populations and to the fact that most genetic variability occurs within populations. This in turn suggests the existence of a huge panmictic yarrow population in the Iberian Peninsula. This is consistent with the assumption that recent colonization and rapid expansion occurred throughout this area. Likewise, the low levels of genetic variability recovered suggest that bottlenecks and/or founder events may have been involved in this process, and clonal reproduction may have played an important role in maintaining this genetic impoverishment. Indeed, the ecological and phenologic uniformity present in the A. millefolium agg. in Iberia compared to Eurasia and North America may be responsible for the low number of representatives of this complex of species present in the Iberian Peninsula. The low levels of genetic differentiation between ploidy levels recovered in our work suggest the absence of barriers between them.

Temporal characterization of 2-phenylethanol in strongly and weakly scented genotypes of damask rose

The molecular and physiological properties of 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) in the strongly scented genotype (SSG) and a weakly scented genotype (WSG) of damask rose at six floral developmental stages were investigated. The chemical compositions of volatile emissions were determined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the floral headspace. In both genotypes, the relative percentage of 2-PE increased more in SSG than WSG, as flowers developed. In the petals of damask rose the relative transcript levels of phenyl acetaldehyde reductase (PAR) were higher at stages 3 and 4 in SSG and WSG, respectively. Also, the expression pattern of PAR indicated a significant difference between two genotypes during flower developmental stages. In this study, enzymatic activity leading to the synthesis of 2-PE from the phenyl acetaldehyde (PAld) moderately increased during flower development up to stage 5 in SSG. However, high level of PAR enzymatic activity was observed in stage 3 of WSG. These results indicated that the pattern activity of PAR was different in two used genotypes of damask rose. For SSG, PAR activities were low in early stage of flower development and then gradually increased reaching its highest value at full bloom stage. In WSG, no significant change in enzyme activity was seen after stage 3.

DNA fingerprinting in botany: past, present, future

Almost three decades ago Alec Jeffreys published his seminal Nature papers on the use of minisatellite probes for DNA fingerprinting of humans (Jeffreys and colleagues Nature 1985, 314:67-73 and Nature 1985, 316:76-79). The new technology was soon adopted for many other organisms including plants, and when Hilde Nybom, Kurt Weising and Alec Jeffreys first met at the very First International Conference on DNA Fingerprinting in Berne, Switzerland, in 1990, everybody was enthusiastic about the novel method that allowed us for the first time to discriminate between humans, animals, plants and fungi on the individual level using DNA markers. A newsletter coined "Fingerprint News" was launched, T-shirts were sold, and the proceedings of the Berne conference filled a first book on "DNA fingerprinting: approaches and applications". Four more conferences were about to follow, one on each continent, and Alec Jeffreys of course was invited to all of them. Since these early days, methodologies have undergone a rapid evolution and diversification. A multitude of techniques have been developed, optimized, and eventually abandoned when novel and more efficient and/or more reliable methods appeared. Despite some overlap between the lifetimes of the different technologies, three phases can be defined that coincide with major technological advances. Whereas the first phase of DNA fingerprinting ("the past") was dominated by restriction fragment analysis in conjunction with Southern blot hybridization, the advent of the PCR in the late 1980s gave way to the development of PCR-based single- or multi-locus profiling techniques in the second phase. Given that many routine applications of plant DNA fingerprinting still rely on PCR-based markers, we here refer to these methods as "DNA fingerprinting in the present", and include numerous examples in the present review. The beginning of the third phase actually dates back to 2005, when several novel, highly parallel DNA sequencing strategies were developed that increased the throughput over current Sanger sequencing technology 1000-fold and more. High-speed DNA sequencing was soon also exploited for DNA fingerprinting in plants, either in terms of facilitated marker development, or directly in the sense of "genotyping-by-sequencing". Whereas these novel approaches are applied at an ever increasing rate also in non-model species, they are still far from routine, and we therefore treat them here as "DNA fingerprinting in the future".