Authentication of Golden-Berry P. ginseng Cultivar ‘Gumpoong’ from a Landrace ‘Hwangsook’ Based on Pooling Method Using Chloroplast-Derived Markers

Most ginseng cultivars bear red berry and only one cultivar ‘Gumpoong’ (GU) bears golden berry. GU is an elite cultivar bred by pedigree selection from a golden berry landrace (a mixed population) ‘Hwangsook’ (HS). We developed three unique polymorphic markers from complete chloroplast genome sequences of GU and HS. A population of GU showed uniform band amplicon against three chloroplast markers whereas HS population displayed mixed genotypes for both GU and HS. Using the characteristics of mixed genotypes in HS population, we developed a convenient method to differentiate GU and HS population by application of pooled DNA template for PCR analysis (pooling method). The pooling method revealed that the GU pool was identical with GU genotype while the HS pool showed both GU and HS genotype. The pooling method is a cost and time effective method for accurate authentication of both golden berry ginseng cultivars. The method is useful to protect GU products from its tentative counterfeits from seeds to mature plant stages as well as processed root products.