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

Manuscript PJS_2_147801 Plant Ecology and Evolution. 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.