de Boer Lab
Plant identification using molecular barcoding has a huge potential for biodiversity, conservation, and monitoring of trade in plant genetic resources for pharmaceutical manufacturing, horticulture and tropical timber trade. DNA barcoding as a method has been embraced in science, especially for identification of animals and fungi. In recent years, researchers have successfully shown the power and accuracy of DNA barcoding by creating molecular identification systems for various purposes, such as the identification of cryptic species, species adulteration in marine food products, tracing illegal ivory trade, and assessing tropical forest diversity.