The present study was carried out to investigate genetic diversity in Nile-Delta and Southern-Egypt buffalo populations in comparison with the Italian buffalo utilizing two microsatellite multiplexes. A total of 104 animals classified into three groups were used, 28, 38 and 38 representing the Nile-Delta, Southern-Egypt and Italian buffalo, respectively. The 15 studied microsatellites were CSSM38, CSSM70, CYP21, CSSM42, CSSM60, MAF65, BM0922, CSSM19, INRA006, ETH02, BM1706, BMC1013, CSSM47, INRA026 and CA004. All studied microsatellites showed allelic polymorphism. Number of polymorphic alleles ranged between 4 alleles (CSSM38, CSSM70 and CYP21) and 11 alleles (CA004). Pairwise Chi-square test for Nile Delta and Southern Egypt showed significant differences in allelic distribution at five loci, CSSM70, CSSM38, BM0922, ETH02 and BM1706. Italian buffalo showed the lowest percentage of observed heterozygotes (65%), while the Southern Egypt showed the highest (71%). Both the Italian and the Delta populations deviated significantly (P<0.05) from HW equilibrium. Italian buffalo is relatively the most inbred population while the Southern-Egypt buffalo is the only outbred population. High level of genetic differentiation (FST estimates) between the Italian group and each of the Delta and Southern-Egypt group (0.083 and 0.076, respectively) was observed while Southern-Egypt group showed a lower level of genetic differentiation with the Delta group (0.014). Italian buffalo had the greatest genetic distance values with the two Egyptian groups (0.25 and 0.23) while much lower values between the Southern-Egypt and the Delta groups (0.06) was observed. Genetic variation between the Italian buffalo and the Egyptian buffalo was detected in 14 (out of 15) microsatellite loci. While a lower level (than that between Egyptian and Italian) of genetic variation between Southern-Egypt and Delta buffalo populations was expressed by 5 loci. It was concluded that the Southern-Egypt buffalo could be considered as distinct population from the Delta buffalo. In addition, Southern-Egypt group, being the only group with non-significant global deviation from HW equilibrium, the most heterozygous, and the only outbred population as well, is expected to respond more favorably to selection.

The study was carried out to investigate genetic diversity in Nile-Delta and Southern Egypt buffalo populations in comparison with the Italian buffalo using 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci, in two multiplexes. Animals used were 28, 38 and 38 representing the Delta, Southern-Egypt and Italian buffalo, respectively. Studied microsatellites were CSSM38, CSSM70, CYP21, CSSM42, CSSM60, MAF65, BM0922, CSSM19, INRA006, D5S2, BM1706, BMC1013, CSSM47, INRA026 and RM4. All microsatellites showed allelic polymorphism. Pair-wise Chi-square test for Delta and SoutrhernEgypt showed significant differences in allelic distribution at CSSM70, CSSM38, BM0922, ETH02 and BM1706. Testing HW equilibrium by population over all loci showed significant deviations for both Italian and Delta-populations. FIS estimates over all loci indicated that Italian buffalo is relatively the most inbred population while Southern-Egypt is the only outbred population. High level of genetic differentiation (FST) between the Italian group and each of the Delta and SouthernEgypt groups (0.083 and 0.076, respectively) were observed while Southern-Egypt group showed a lower level of genetic differentiation with the Delta group (0.014). Italian buffalo had the highest distance values with the two Egyptian groups (0.25 and 0.23) while much lower values between the Southern-Egypt and the Delta group (0.06) was observed. In conclusion, there was a reasonable genetic variation between the Italian and the Egyptian buffalos and a lower level of genetic variation between Southern-Egypt and Nile-Delta buffalo. Southern-Egypt buffalo could be considered as population distinct from the Nile-Delta buffalo. Southern-Egypt population was the only one showing heterozygosity excess implying a wider gene pool and possibly higher expected genetic improvement gain from selection.