Different collections and accessions of (Chinese mugwort) harbour considerable diversity in morphology and bioactive compounds, but no mechanisms have been reported that explain these variations. We studied genome size in accessions from different regions of China by flow cytometry. Genome size was significantly distinct among origins of these 42 Chinese mugwort accessions, ranging from 8.428 to 11.717 pg. There were no significant intraspecific differences among the 42 accessions from the five regions of China. The clustering analysis showed that these 42 accessions could be divided into three groups, which had no significant relationship with geographical location. In a genome survey, the total genome size of (A15) was estimated to be 7.852 Gb (or 8.029 pg) by -mer analysis. This indicated that the results from the two independent methods are consistent, and that the genome survey can be used as an adjunct to flow cytometry to compensate for its deficiencies. In addition, genome survey can provide the information about heterozygosity, repeat sequences, GC content and ploidy of genome. The nuclear DNA contents determined here provide a new reference for intraspecific variation in genome size in and may also be a potential resource for the study of genetic diversity and for breeding new cultivar.
