Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is a key species in global aquaculture. Vietnam’s whiteleg shrimp production grew by 82% from 2018 to 2024, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). To support continued gains in productivity, genetic selection has become a core strategy in breeding programs at Viet-Uc Seafood Joint Stock Company (Viet-Uc hereafter). This study evaluates the effectiveness of selection for two traits — body weight (WT) and survival (SUR) — to enhance broodstock performance in Viet-Uc’s L. vannamei population raised under varying environmental conditions.
Phenotypic data for WT and SUR were collected from 697,382 whiteleg shrimp across 19 generations (2011–2023) by Viet-Uc. Post-larvae from the same family were reared together until ~5g, then elastomer-tagged and divided into broodstock (25 shrimp/m²) and progeny testing groups (150 shrimp/m²). Measurements were taken at approximately 142.38 ± 1.64 and 136.98 ± 2.94 days, respectively. Genetic parameters and Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for the traits were estimated using AIREMLF90 and BLUPF90+, respectively, based on detailed pedigree and phenotypic records.
Heritability estimates (h² ± SE) were 0.25 ± 0.01 for WT and 0.04 ± 0.00 for SUR, with a mean survival rate of 74.4%, indicating high genetic potential for WT and strong environmental influence on SUR. EBVs across 19 generations showed consistent genetic gain for WT (FIGURE 1), reflected in increasing mean adjusted WT (g), while SUR showed moderate genetic improvement, with phenotypic gains becoming more apparent after generation 17 (FIGURE 2). A genetic correlation (± SE) of 0.35 ± 0.05 between traits suggests that selection for WT may offer modest indirect benefits for SUR, though further improvement in SUR will require strengthened environmental and health management strategies.