Vietnamese local chicken breeds. Genetic diversity and prioritising breeds for cvonservation

The overall goal of this study was to characterize the genetic diversity of the Vietnamese

local chicken breeds and to identify population priorities for conservation. The specific

aims were 1) to assess and explain the population genetic structure of the Vietnamese

breeds, 2) to characterize the Vietnamese breeds in relation to the Chinese breeds and

wild chickens, 3) to estimate conservation potentials for conservation priorities of the

Vietnamese breeds, and 4) to define an optimal allocation of limited conservation funds

to them.

First genetic diversity within and between the Vietnamese breeds was analysed at the

autosomal level using 29 microsatellites. A total of 353 individuals of nine Vietnamese

local breeds and two breeds of Chinese origin were studied. The Vietnamese breeds were

sampled from the northern and southern parts of Vietnam while the two Chinese breeds

(NIAS Chinese breeds) have been kept at the National Institute of Animal Sciences,

Hanoi. The results revealed a high level of diversity within Vietnamese breeds. Analysing

the genetic structure using the software package STRUCTURE suggested an optimal

clustering at K = 6. These groups encompassed four homogeneous clusters, one formed

by the two Chinese breeds and the other three representing a single breed each: the

Mekong Delta breed Ac, the South Central Coast breed Choi, and the Red River Delta

breed Dong Tao. The six remaining breeds formed two additional admixed clusters. This

finding indicates that sub-structuring of the Vietnamese chicken breeds is related to their

geographical distribution. The two NIAS Chinese breeds are genetically distinct from the

Vietnamese breeds.