Hundreds of experts from 50 nations are set to agree on a "DNA barcode" system that gives every plant on Earth a unique genetic fingerprint.

Identifying a plant’s DNA "barcode" will help tell is if it is being illegally traded

The technology will be used in a number of ways, including identifying the illegal trade in endangered species.

The data will be stored on a global database that will be available to scientists around the world.

The agreement will be signed at the third International Barcode of Life conference in Mexico City on Tuesday.

"Barcoding is a tool to identify species faster, more cheaply and more precisely than traditional methods, " explained Patricia Escalante, head of the zoology department at Mexico’s National University (UNAM), which is hosting the gathering.

In an effort to limit the impact on the planet’s biodiversity, Dr Escalante said it was vital to establish a reliable monitoring system.

"We need an accurate inventory," she observed, "to recognize parasites of medical, economic or ecological importance."

Mexican researchers, she added, were involved in a network to produce barcodes in key taxonomic groups , such as trees, fungi, bees and aquatic insects.

Cracking the code

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