Whole genome resequencing reveals genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signatures in local duck breeds.
Journal:
BMC genomics
Published Date:
Aug 8, 2025
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Shandong's local duck breeds are renowned for their outstanding egg-laying performance and are regarded as valuable assets within China's waterfowl germplasm. Understanding the genetic characteristics of these populations, along with monitoring and conserving their genetic diversity, is of paramount importance. In this study, we analyzed the genetic diversity, population structure, and genetic characteristic of 89 ducks, including the Weishan Partridge (WS, n = 30), Matahu (MT, n = 29), and Wendeng Black (WD, n = 30), using genome resequencing data. We also used a random forest model algorithm to identify specific breed-identification SNPs, ensuring accurate differentiation of the three breeds.