Domestic chicken diversity: Origin, distribution, and adaptation.

R A Lawal,O Hanotte

doi:10.1111/age.13091

Abstract

Chicken is the most numerous among the domesticated livestock species. Across cultures, religions, and societies, chicken is widely accepted with little or no taboo compared to other domestic animals. Its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and demonstrated potential for breeding improvement provide a unique genetic resource for addressing the challenges of food security in a world impacted by climatic change and human population growth. Recent studies, shedding new knowledge on the chicken genomes, have helped reconstruct its past evolutionary history. Here, we review the literature concerning the origin, dispersion, and adaptation of domestic chicken. We highlight the role of human and natural selection in shaping the diversity of the species and provide a few examples of knowledge gaps that may be the focus of future research.

Highlights

SummaryChicken is the most numerous among the domesticated livestock species
The Red junglefowl is polytypic with five recognised subspecies: (i) G. g. murghi (Robinson & Kloss 1920) found in Kashmir, north and north-east India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh; (ii) G. g. spadiceus (Bonnaterre, 1792) in extreme north-west India, Address for correspondence
The colour of ear-lappets is red in G. g. spadiceus and G. g. jabouillei but white in G. g. murghi and G. g. gallus (Delacour 1977; Madge & McGowan 2002)

Summary

Chicken is the most numerous among the domesticated livestock species. Religions, and societies, chicken is widely accepted with little or no taboo compared to other domestic animals. Its adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and demonstrated potential for breeding improvement provide a unique genetic resource for addressing the challenges of food security in a world impacted by climatic change and human population growth. Recent studies, shedding new knowledge on the chicken genomes, have helped reconstruct its past evolutionary history. We review the literature concerning the origin, dispersion, and adaptation of domestic chicken. We highlight the role of human and natural selection in shaping the diversity of the species and provide a few examples of knowledge gaps that may be the focus of future research. Domestication, Gallus, junglefowl, Mendelian trait, Migration, Phylogeny

Introduction

Findings

Lawal and Hanotte