The researchers found that pigeons with the "G/A" genetic variation in the CRY1 gene had significantly better racing results in short distance races (100-400km) compared to pigeons with the "G/G" genetic variation.
This suggests that this genetic variation could play an important role in the navigational abilities of racing pigeons. Pigeon fanciers could use this information to select the best performing pigeons for short distance races by looking for pigeons with the "G/A" genotype in the CRY1 gene. It is important to note that these results only apply to a specific pigeon population and further studies are needed to verify these results in other pigeon populations. In summary, the study found a link between genetic variation in the CRY1 gene and racing performance in racing pigeons, paving the way for further research into the genetics of navigation in pigeons.
CRY1 Gene Polymorphism and Racing Performance of Homing Pigeons Andrzej Dybus 1,*, Hanna Kulig 1, Yu‐Hsiang Yu 2, Ruben Lanckriet 3, Witold Proskura 4 and Yeong‐Hsiang Cheng 2