Given the explosive development of new molecular marker techniques over the last decade, newcomers and experts alike in the field of DNA fingerprinting will find an easy-to-follow guide to the multitude of techniques available in DNA Fingerprinting in Plants: Principles, Methods, and Applications, Second Edition. Along with step-by-step annotated protocols, the authors fully discuss the technical aspects and modifications of existing techniques, the influence of reaction components and conditions, and the analysis of the results. This second edition has been completely revised to address the exponential changes in the field since the first edition, focusing on PCR-based techniques but also including more sophisticated ones. The authors include numerous case studies to illustrate applications of the methods, more than 1600 references to the literature, and descriptions of reagent formulation, equipment, and computer programs used for evaluating molecular marker data. They compare the various methods, including the costs and benefits of each, helping readers determine which is best suited to a particular application. The well-rounded, cross-referenced, and unified nature of this book makes it intrinsically easier to follow than the edited, multi-authored books currently available. It is an absolute necessity on the lab bench of anyone involved in plant research, DNA profiling, and molecular markers.