Cross-species amplification and polymorphism of microsatellite loci in the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines.

We tested the utility of 18 previously characterized Aphis spp. microsatellite loci for polymorphism and differentiation among populations of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines. Loci were chosen from a closely related species (Aphis gossypii) and a more distantly related species (Aphis fabae). We found nine loci to be polymorphic among Korean and North American populations. Overall expected heterozygosity was moderate (average: 0.47; range: 0-1), although populations substantially differed in deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These loci will be valuable in characterizing population differentiation, migration and adaptation in an economically important pest of soybeans.