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.