GENETIC DIVERSITY IN INDIGENOUS CAMEROON AND GERMAN DAHLEM RED FOWL POPULATIONS ESTIMATED FROM DNA FINGERPRINTS

In order to determine the genetic diversity within the indigenous Came roon fowl (ICF) and German Dahlem Red (GDR) chickens and the genetic d istance between the two, blood samples were collected from the two pop ulations. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood and restriction enz yme Hinf1 was used for DNA digestion. To obtain fragment length polymo rphism in form of DNA fingerprints two simple repetitive oligonucleoti de probes, (CA)8 and (CAC)5, were used. Two DNA fingerprint analyses w ere conducted: 1) Genetic variability within ICF and GDR was estimated based on pairwise comparison of fragments (bands) from banding patter ns within each population. 2) Band sharing between banding patterns of ICF, GDR and an inbred Leghorn line (IL) was determined to measure ge netic distance between the populations and to establish a genetic rela tionship among the strains. Average percent band sharing (APS) in the ICF was 22.8% and in the GDR was 51.0%. Number of polymorphic bands in ICF was 21.7 and in the GDR was 13.9. The number of bands per lane wa s about 28.0. Average per cent band difference (APD) which is the meas ure of genetic distance was 79.8% between ICF and GDR In conclusion th e genetic distance between the ICF and GDR is considerable apart and t he genetic diversity opens possibilities for exploiting heterosis effe cts in crossing the two populations.