Santiago-Moreno J, Castaño C, Toledano-Díaz A, Esteso M C, López-Sebastián A, Gañán N, Hierro M J, Marchal F, Campo J L, Blesbois E
Dpto. Reproducción Animal, INIA, Spain
Dpto. Reproducción Animal, INIA, Spain.
Poult Sci. 2015 Jan;94(1):80-7. doi: 10.3382/ps/peu020.
The general decline in wild Iberian populations of the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) has been accompanied by an increase in game-farm facilities producing hybrids with chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar). Genetic introgression from chukar partridges is thought to modify male red-legged partridge reproductive indicators. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of such genetic introgression on seasonal reproductive patterns by comparing the sperm and plasma testosterone concentrations of males from pure red-legged and hybrid red-legged/chukar populations. Semen was collected twice monthly over a 12-mo period using a massage technique. Both types of bird showed a clear seasonal pattern of spermatogenic activity. The proportion of males ejaculating sperm was higher (P<0.05) among the pure red-legged birds. The greatest sperm production was recorded in March to May among the pure birds and April to May among the hybrids. Reproductive activity in both groups decreased in June, to reach a minimum in August to December among the hybrids and in September to December among the pure birds. Spermatogenic activity resumed in January in both groups. The sperm concentration produced by the pure birds was smaller than that of the hybrids (P<0.001), but the percentage of motile sperm was higher in the pure birds (P<0.001). The sperm of the hybrids showed greater straight-line velocity (P<0.05), linearity (P<0.001), straightness (P<0.001), sperm wobble (P<0.05), and beat-cross frequency values (P<0.001). The length and area of the sperm head were smaller in the pure birds (P<0.05). The seasonal plasma testosterone concentration pattern followed a trend roughly parallel to the ejaculatory response. The present results suggest that genetic introgression influences the reproductive variables of the red-legged partridge.
伊比利亚半岛野生红腿鹧鸪（Alectoris rufa）数量普遍下降的同时，养殖红腿鹧鸪与石鸡（Alectoris chukar）杂交品种的养殖场数量却在增加。人们认为石鸡的基因渗入会改变雄性红腿鹧鸪的繁殖指标。本研究的目的是通过比较纯种红腿鹧鸪和红腿鹧鸪/石鸡杂交种群雄性的精子和血浆睾酮浓度，确定这种基因渗入对季节性繁殖模式的影响。在12个月的时间里，每月使用按摩技术采集两次精液。两种类型的鸟类都表现出明显的生精活动季节性模式。纯种红腿鹧鸪中射精的雄性比例更高（P<0.05）。纯种鸟类在3月至5月精子产量最高，杂交品种在4月至5月精子产量最高。两组的繁殖活动在6月均下降，杂交品种在8月至12月降至最低，纯种鸟类在9月至12月降至最低。两组在1月生精活动均恢复。纯种鸟类产生的精子浓度低于杂交品种（P<0.001），但纯种鸟类中活动精子的百分比更高（P<0.001）。杂交品种的精子表现出更高的直线速度（P<0.05）、线性度（P<0.001）、直线性（P<0.001）、精子摆动（P<0.05）和鞭打交叉频率值（P<0.001）。纯种鸟类精子头部的长度和面积较小（P<0.05）。季节性血浆睾酮浓度模式大致遵循与射精反应平行的趋势。目前的结果表明，基因渗入会影响红腿鹧鸪的繁殖变量。
