Short tandem repeat based analysis of genetic variability in Kanarese buffalo of South India.

The goal of the present study was assessing genetic diversity within Kanarese buffalo, the dual purpose breed of South India. A total of 48 unrelated animals were genotyped at 23 short tandem repeat (STR markers) loci. The total number of observed alleles was 180 with a mean of 7.83 per locus, which varied from 3 to 12 across different loci. The mean observed and expected heterozygosity in South Kanara buffaloes was estimated to be 0.518 and 0.712 respectively. Within population inbreeding estimate (F(IS)) was significantly positive in most of the investigated loci which resulted in significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at 19 of 23 loci analyzed. Evaluation of South Kanara buffalo population for mutation drift equilibrium revealed no significant heterozygosity excess under three different models of evolution viz. infinite alleles model (IAM), stepwise mutation model (SMM) and two phase model (TPM), thus indicating the absence of any recent genetic bottleneck. The results of the present study will help in formulating rational breeding strategies as well as conservation of this important germplasm.