Background/Objectives: Modern sequencing technologies have transformed the identification of medicinal plant species and varieties, overcoming the limitations of traditional morphological and chemical approaches. This review explores the key DNA-based techniques, including molecular markers, DNA barcoding, and high-throughput sequencing, and their contributions to enhancing the accuracy and reliability of plant identification. Additionally, the integration of multi-omics approaches is examined to provide a comprehensive understanding of medicinal plant identity. Methods: The literature search for this review was conducted across databases such as Google Scholar, Web of Science, and PubMed, using keywords related to plant taxonomy, genomics, and biotechnology. Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed studies closely related to plant identification methods and techniques that contribute significantly to the field. Results: The review highlights that while sequencing technologies offer substantial improvements, challenges such as high costs, technical expertise, and the lack of standardized protocols remain barriers to widespread adoption. Potential solutions, including AI-driven data analysis and portable sequencers, are discussed. Conclusions: This review provides a comprehensive overview of molecular techniques, their transformative impact, and future perspectives for more accurate and efficient medicinal plant identification.

Modern sequencing technologies have transformed the identification of medicinal plant species and varieties, overcoming the limitations of traditional approaches. To address the challenge of discriminating Toona sinensis varieties, we sequenced and compared 15 complete chloroplast genomes from five varieties in northern China. Although these genomes exhibited a highly conserved structure, we identified eight variety-specific simple sequence repeats (SSRs), two unique tandem repeats, and several hypervariable regions with elevated nucleotide diversity. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that whole chloroplast genomes provided the highest resolution for variety identification, outperforming conventional barcodes. Furthermore, we developed 13 specific primer pairs targeting variable regions, and PCR validation confirmed their reliable amplification across varieties. In addition, sequence-level validation by Sanger sequencing of representative SSR and tandem repeat markers revealed stable, variety-specific repeat copy number differences. These results demonstrate that the identified chloroplast markers can effectively discriminate closely related T. sinensis varieties. This study confirms that despite overall conservation, the T. sinensis plastome contains sufficient variation for reliable identification, providing a robust framework for future germplasm conservation and molecular breeding.

Salvia przewalskii Maxim. is a perennial alpine plant with significant ornamental and medicinal value. However, previous studies have shown that this species has a low germination rate under natural conditions, and its artificial propagation techniques remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the seed quality and the effects of various pre-sowing treatments (storage, chemical, physical, hormonal, combined) and soil substrates on S. przewalskii germination. The results indicated that S. przewalskii seeds demonstrated high viability (>85%) but exhibited high empty seed rate (45.32%) and physiological dormancy. Compared with the control (20%), dehydration (24.44%), demucilage + dehydration combination (35.56%), storage at 4 °C for 360 (53.33%) and 450 (54.29%) days, and GA₃ (44.44–55.56%) treatments significantly enhanced S. przewalskii germination percentages. Demucilage, H₂SO₄ and KNO₃ treatments had negative effects on seed germination, while 6-BA treatment did not significantly improve seed germination. Among tested soil substrates, S. przewalskii seeds pre-chilled for 450 days showed the highest germination rate (71.11%) and optimal seedling growth in peat:vermiculite (3:1), representing the most suitable soil substrate. These findings demonstrate that understanding germination characteristics of S. przewalskii is crucial for developing protocols to enhance germination efficiency that can improve large-scale propagation capacity through shorter germination periods, ultimately enhancing the species regeneration potential and protecting its stability in nature.

Tooth wear is a major health and welfare issue for captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), but quantitative data on wear progression across different tooth types and chewing behaviors are lacking. In this study, a two-dimensional computer simulation (Processing, Java-based) was developed to model wear of giant panda canine, second premolar, and second molar teeth under two bamboo-chewing orientations (horizontal vs. vertical). Species-specific enamel hardness (344 HV), bite forces (canine: 1030 N; premolar: 1142 N; molar: 2005 N), and a stochastic chewing cycle were incorporated into the simulation. The results showed that canine wear was faster during horizontal chewing (45.68 pixel layers/100 cycles) than during vertical chewing (36.76 pixel layers/100 cycles), while premolar and molar wear were faster during vertical chewing (34.24 and 51.52 pixel layers/100 cycles, respectively) compared to horizontal chewing (10.28 and 39.40 pixel layers/100 cycles). Molars exhibited the highest overall wear rate. The predicted functional lifespan was estimated to be 47~55 years for canines; 19~34 years for premolars; and 23~29 years for molars. This study provides the first quantitative, cycle-by-cycle wear progression model for giant panda teeth.