Trees in the genus Phoebe of the Lauraceae family are commonly known as “Nanmu” in traditional Chinese culture. As they have offered highly valued timbers for construction, furniture, and coffins since the pre-Qin Dynasty, it is crucial to identify and protect these Phoebe species. However, the accuracy of Phoebe species identification is frequently hampered due to the limitations of traditional morphological and wood anatomy methods as the marker characteristics are very similar between the species, alongside the requirement for specialized expertise. Here, we use DNA barcoding technology for the rapid and accurate identification of five endangered Phoebe species in China, including Phoebe bournei, P. chekiangensis, P. hui, P. sheareri and P. zhennan. Four highly divergent regions (petA-psbJ-psbL-psbF-psbE, Ψycf1-ndhF, rpl32-trnL^UAG and ycf1) were identified from a comparison of the 20 Phoebe plastomes downloaded from the database. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis on 20 Phoebe species showed that rpl32-trnL^UAG + ycf1, as well as rpl32-trnL^UAG + ycf1 + Ψycf1-ndhF, effectively distinguished the fifteen Phoebe species. We further validated the usefulness of the core 2-locus barcode using wood and leaf samples from multiple sites for five target species. The study confirms the reliability of molecular diagnostics for five Phoebe species. It also establishes critical taxonomic protocols for conserving these endangered Nanmu species in southern China.

The rapid proliferation of genetically modified (GM) crops and the uncontrolled distribution of GM-based food and feed have become a growing global concern, posing new challenges for regulatory oversight and traceability. The traditional PCR detection method cannot simultaneously meet the needs of high-throughput, high-specificity and high-sensitivity detection of transgenic organisms. In this study, a multiplex fluorescence PCR-capillary electrophoresis platform was developed by labeling primers of endogenous and exogenous genes with different fluorescent groups. The system enabled the simultaneous detection of 27 GM-related genes and events in a single analytical workflow. The results demonstrated accurate identification of all seven GM maize events, with correct detection achieved for each individual strain. In addition, the method enabled precise discrimination of a mixed sample containing five GM maize varieties. The assay also achieved a detection sensitivity of 0.1% in gradient mixtures with different GM contents. Our platform integrates a larger number of targets into a single PCR reaction, thereby simplifying the detection workflow while maintaining high analytical performance. Furthermore, the combination of multicolor fluorescence labeling and capillary electrophoresis provides high-resolution fragment discrimination and robust multiplex detection capability. This platform provides a novel and effective tool for rapid detection in food safety of transgenic crops and related areas, and can be applied in import/export inspection, quarantine, and biosafety surveillance.