Phenotypic and morphometric differentiation of indigenous chickens from Kenya and other tropical countries augments perspectives for genetic resource improvement and conservation.

ABSTRACT: Indigenous chickens at the Swahili coast and other traditional migratory corridors in Kenya represent important populations that are inconclusively characterized. Using a comprehensive dataset of Kenyan indigenous chickens and additional mined data of chickens from 8 African and 5 Asian countries, we performed univariate and multivariate assessments to uncover the underlying phenotypic and morphometric variability. Kenyan indigenous chickens expressed differentiation of several qualitative and quantitative traits, both among different counties in the Swahili coast, and among coastal, western, and northern migratory corridors. There was a substantial population stratification of these chickens, particularly distinctive clustering of chickens from Marsabit, Lamu, and Kilifi counties. The poo

SUBMITTER: Otecko NO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6591685 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature