Identification of quantitative trait loci affecting average daily gain and Kleiber ratio on chromosome 5 in an F2 population of Japanese quail

This research carried out to identify effective quantitative trait loci in growth rate and Keliber ratio on chromosome 5 of Japanese quail by microsatellite markers. A three-generation resource population was developed by using two distinct Japanese quail strains, wild and white, to map quantitative trait loci underlying growth rate and Kleiber ratio. Eight pairs of white (S) and wild (W) birds were crossed reciprocally and 34 F1 birds were produced. The F1 birds were intercrossed to generate 422 F2 offspring. All of the animals from three generations (472 birds) were genotyped for three microsatellite markers on chromosome 5. Phenotypic data including average daily again and Kleiber ratio were collected on F2 birds. QTL analysis was performed using least squares regression interval mapping method fitting five various statistical models. Significant additive QTL were identified for average daily gain from hatch to one week of age and Kleiber ratio between 3 to 4 weeks of age. Dominance and imprinting QTL effects were not significant. The F2 phenotypic variance explained by the detected additive QTL effects ranged from 1.1 to 3.6 for different traits Significant QTLs identified by doing various statically types for average daily gain and keliber ratio with various effect.