Using phenetic approaches for studying poultry populations under preservation and breeding

Романов М.Н. Phenes are non-metrical variations, including morphological, physiological and biochemical variations. This paper gives formulae for estimating phenetic frequencies of populations and for measuring distances between breeds using phenetic frequencies. Properties of phenes and research tasks in the field of poultry population phenetics are considered. Phenetics methods have been applied to studying various domestic fowl, goose and duck populations belonging to poultry genetic resources of the former USSR. The description of phene pools of the preserved breeds has been carried out by singling out non-metrical variations (phenes and their gradations). The degree and structure of intra-breed diversity have been detected. Inter-Breed phenetic distances have been evaluated. By using hierarchic cluster analysis, inter-breed phylogenetic relationships are determined. Usage of methods of population phenetics can be helpful and effective for the assessment of diversity and peculiarity of native poultry breeds in the germplasm conservation and breeding programs