Review: Molecular techniques to assess genetic variation within and between Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius

A variety of methods have been used to examine genetic differences in P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius. They have shown genetic differences within populations of P. ginseng (within and between elite cultivars, landraces and wild accessions), within populations of P. quinquefolius (within and between wild and cultivated accessions) and between P. ginseng and P. quinquefolius as well as other Panax species. Some examples of their applications have been to show that some elite cultivars are not uniform, there are possible founder effects in certain populations, there has been the spread of cultivated types into wild populations, relative diversity differs between different populations and identification of the source and purity of commercial samples. More work in the use of molecular markers for ginseng are needed, however, particularly the use of Next Generation Sequencing. Potential applications are the use of sequence analysis for genetic selection, breeding to develop new cultivars and providing traceability from field to consumer. Research on molecular markers in ginseng has lagged compared to other crops probably because of less of an emphasis on breeding for cultivar development and relatively small areas of production. The many potential benefits for ginseng production have yet to be realized.