Seoul, South Korea – The Rural Development Administration (RDA) has announced the development of a new gene chip that contains the genetic information of native Korean chicken and duck breeds. This breakthrough, achieved through public-private collaboration, is expected to significantly advance poultry breeding research and improve the accuracy and efficiency of digital breeding.

The gene chip, developed in partnership with the National Institute of Animal Science, Chungnam National University, Kangwon National University, and Quantomics, contains genetic information for 67,000 chicken and duck genes. Researchers have designed the chip to allow for selective analysis of desired breeds from a single chip.

This new technology has a wide range of applications in breeding research. It can be used to identify causative genes and genetic variations that influence important traits, as well as for genomic selection. The chip can also be used to distinguish native Korean breeds from foreign breeds, making it a valuable tool for commercial purposes.

One of the key advantages of this gene chip is its ability to analyze both chicken and duck breeds from a single chip. This significantly reduces the cost of analysis services compared to using individual chips for each breed.

The RDA plans to utilize this gene chip in various research projects, including the 'National-based Breeding Platform Development' project. The development of this chip is expected to accelerate research on accumulating and utilizing genetic information of native poultry.

Kim Si-dong, head of the Poultry Research Institute at the National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, emphasized the importance of this achievement. "Using genomic information can improve accuracy compared to existing selection methods and help improve breeding ability per generation," he said. "As we have secured a chip that can collect genetic information of native poultry, research on accumulating and utilizing genetic information is expected to accelerate in the future."

This new gene chip represents a significant step forward in the effort to preserve and improve native Korean poultry breeds. It is expected to contribute to the development of healthier and more productive livestock, while also preserving the unique genetic heritage of these valuable breeds.