A simple and inexpensive molecular assay for species identification of Indo-West Pacific Rhizophora mangroves for conservation and management

Mangrove species of the genus Rhizophora are predominant and highly sought-after for the reforestation of mangrove areas in Southeast Asia. Of the three Rhizophora species occurring in the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) region, R. mucronata and R. stylosa have similar morphological features, making species identification difficult. Their respective hybrids with R. apiculata are also difficult to tell apart morphologically. Based on DNA sequence alignment of the partial nuclear starch-branching enzyme II (SBE2) gene obtained in a recent study, we designed species-specific primers for a multiplex PCR assay for rapid species identification, allowing us to differentiate among samples of R. apiculata, R. mucronata, R. stylosa, and their respective hybrids. The method described here makes use of simple molecular techniques; we envision that this simple and inexpensive method will improve the efficiency of efforts to conserve and manage IWP Rhizophora populations.