Genetic diversity and population structure OF SHAOXING AND SHANMA DUCKS BREEDS BY MICROSATELLITE LOCI
N the present study the genetic structure of Shanma and Shaoxing duck populations. One hundred ninety blood samples of ducks in south of China, Zhejiang province were collected. The genomic DNA was isolated and characterized genetically using nineteenth microsatellite markers. Species-specific alleles identified in the studied populations for 9 loci in the Shaoxing breed and 8 loci in the Shanma breed can be used to mark individual lines for constructing cross-breeding schemes.The information index in the Shaoxing breed ranged from 0.034 (SMO12) to 2.381 (APL2), in the breed of Shanma - from 0.032 (APL83) to 2.076 (APL12). The maximum actual heterozygosity was at the APL12 locus (0.897 in the Shaoxing breed, 0.848 in the Shanma breed). The minimum actual heterozygosity was 0.010 (APL83) in Shanma breed and 0.011 (SMO12) in the Shaoxing breed. The obtained results at the present study indicated that characterization of genetic diversity by employing molecular tools is a prerequisite in developing strategies for conservation and utilization of duck genetic resources.