Development of 12 novel microsatellite loci for invasive Chinese privet ( Ligustrum sinense ) from its introduced range

Chinese privet ( Ligustrum sinense ) is a shrub native to Southeast Asia and invasive in the eastern United States, representing a significant threat to biodiversity and ecosystem health, particularly in riparian habitats. We developed 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci from four widely distributed populations within the introduced range. Overall, the number of alleles per locus ranged from 1 to 6 and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0 to 0.58 per locus. We found only 2 instances of significant deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and none of the loci showed significant linkage disequilibrium. These loci provide a valuable tool to study the diversity and invasion history of this introduced species.