Genetic response to combined family selection for improved mean harvest weight in giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in Vietnam

• Published in: Aquaculture Vol. 412-413; pp. 70 - 73
• Main Authors: Hung, Dinh, Vu, Nguyen Thanh, Nguyen, Nguyen Hong, Ponzoni, Raul W., Hurwood, David A., Mather, Peter B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.11.2013; Elsevier; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquaculture; Biological and medical sciences; Body traits; Correlated responses; Crustaceans; Direct response; Fresh water ecosystems; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Harvest; Macrobrachium rosenbergii; Selection; Synecology; Weight; Asia; South east Asia; Vietnam; Macrobrachium rosenbergii; Direct response; Correlated responses; Body traits; Tropical zone; Macrura; Crustacea; Freshwater environment; Arthropoda; Genetics; Decapoda; Invertebrata; Shrimp; Aquaculture
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2013.07.015

We estimated genetic changes in body and carcass weight traits in a giant freshwater prawn (GFP) (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) population selected for increased body weight at harvest in Vietnam. The data set consisted of 18,387 individual body and 1730 carcass weight records, as well as full pedigree information collected over four generations. Average selection response (per generation) in body weight at harvest (transformed to square root) estimated as the difference between the Selection line and the Control group was 7.4% calculated from least squares mean (LSMs), 7.0% from estimated breeding values (EBVs) and 4.4% calculated from EBVs between two consecutive generations. Favorable correlated selection responses (estimated from LSMs) were found for other body traits including: total length, cephalothorax length, abdominal length, cephalothorax width, and abdominal width (12.1%, 14.5%, 10.4%, 15.5% and 13.3% over three selection generations, respectively). Data in the second generation of selection showed positive correlated responses for carcass weight traits including: abdominal weight, exoskeleton-off weight, and telson-off weight of 8.8%, 8.6% and 8.8%, respectively. We conclude that body weight at harvest responded well to the application of combined (between and within) family selection and correlated responses in carcass weight traits were favorable. •A large data set and pedigree information collected over four generations.•GFP male morphotype and female reproductive status were integrated into analyses.•Direct genetic response for body weight were moderate.•Correlated genetic responses for other body and carcass weight traits were positive.