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Genetic Parameters for Within-family Variance of Harvest Weight in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Thursday, August 21, 2014: 2:15 PM
Cypress Room (The Westin Bayshore)
Jovana Marjanovic , Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
Han A. Mulder , Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
Hooi Ling Khaw , The WorldFish Center, Penang, Malaysia
Piter Bijma , Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
Abstract Text: Relaying on traditional selection, animal breeders were successful in improving mean levels of trait values, but have struggled to make the same progress in reducing variability of trait values among individuals. Large size differences can be observed in domestic Nile tilapia, but the genetic background of this variability is almost entirely unknown. In this study, we estimated genetic variance in within-family variance for harvest weight in Nile tilapia using a bivariate model. Data consisted of 6,330 fish with phenotypic observations on harvest weight and 882 observations for within-family variance of harvest weight. Additive genetic variance in within-family variance was 0.279 indicating that the within-family variance could be reduced by 53% when changed by one genetic standard deviation. Genetic correlation between harvest weight and within-family variance was 0.66. Results indicate very good opportunities to genetically improve uniformity and robustness in aquaculture.

Keywords:

Uniformity

Within-family variance

Nile tilapia

See more of: Breeding in Aquaculture Species: Non-Salmonids
See more of: Species Breeding: Breeding in aquaculture species
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