Genetic variability of the Skyros pony breed and its relationship with other Greek and foreign horse breeds

On the basis of phenotypes and genotypes, seven native breeds were identified in Greece. The Skyros pony is the more distinctive of these breeds. Using blood group and microsatellite loci, the aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of Skyros breed, using also available genealogical information, and to investigate its relationships with the other Greek and foreign horse breeds. Results showed that the Skyros breed presented similar level of genetic diversity to other European breeds. Comparisons between DNA-based and pedigree-based results showed that the loss of genetic diversity has probably occurred before the beginning of breed registration. However, the relatively high levels of heterozygosity and Polymorphism Information Content values indicated still sufficient residual genetic variability that could be useful for planning future breeding strategies for the breed conservation. Relationship study showed no association between genetic variation of native Greek breed and population size or degree of geographic isolation. Compared to other domestic breeds, most of the Greek breed showed closest relationships with Middle Eastern breeds, while the Skyros breed clustered surprisingly with Lithuanian horses.