Testing plastomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences as the next-generation DNA barcodes for species identification and phylogenetic analysis in Acer

Acer is a taxonomically intractable and speciose genus that contains over 150 species. It is challenging to distinguish Acer species only by morphological method due to their abundant variations. Plastome and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) sequences are recommended as powerful next-generation DNA barcodes for species discrimination. However, their efficacies were still poorly studied. The current study will evaluate the application of plastome and nrDNA in species identification and perform phylogenetic analyses for Acer. Based on a collection of 83 individuals representing 55 species (c. 55