Analysis of genetic diversity of Romanian buffalo – a preliminary study

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Romanian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis, LINNAEUS, 1758) was an important resource for meat and milk, plus a number of traditions associated with this species. Currently in our country buffalo herd is continuously decreasing. In this context, conservation of genetic resources represents an extremely important action. Loss of genetic diversity is the main cause of the disappearance of populations or their entrance in the area of vulnerable or endangered risk status. The goal of this study is to evaluate the genetic diversity within Romanian Buffalo population from ercaia Research and Development Station for Buffalo Breeding, using information provided by microsatellites. For the investigated population, the results suggest the existence of crosses in the past of population, without being able to specify the type of the cross. Only genealogical analysis will be precisely this, but the fact that molecular genetics senses this is an advantage. Also, a bottleneck effect was underlined. There is no question of inbreeding in case of studied loci, but the problem also requires genealogical studies. Heterogeneity is an asset for the future of population.