The increasing ability to extract the power of genomics is forcing a rethinking of aquaculture genetic improvement strategies. Successful breeding programs will always be built on the careful selection of the next generation of broodstock, detailed record keeping, and accurate collection of phenotypic data. Genomics allows this base of phenotypic selection to be enhanced and ultimately accelerated to increase genetic gain per generation. In shrimp, this is currently done at the most sophisticated level using Genomic Selection.
In Ecuador, Genomic Selection started in 2020, ahead of most countries. One major advantage of Ecuador’s shrimp industry has been the ability to harness important interactions between genetics and environment. The best animals for one environment - or management practices - are not necessarily the best for another.
There is also another exciting technology on the horizon that will fundamentally change how we deliver genetic improvement. This technology is Genome Editing. The implementation of Genome Editing in Pacific White Shrimp (P. vannamei) will be important for the aquaculture industry.
The potential of genome editing in any species, including shrimp, is an exciting innovation, but it won’t replace selective breeding. Rather, it will complement it. Where selective breeding builds the foundation for continuous improvement, genome editing offers the ability to make very precise and substantial changes in a single generation.
Several methods of genome editing have been reported in shrimp, with varying degrees of success. These methods are limited by the issues of the delivery of the gene editing enzymes and the survival of the larvae to adulthood on a commercially relevant scale. The progress in developing genome editing tools for shrimp remains complex.
In this presentation, we review five years of experience with genomic selection in Ecuador and highlight recent successes in genome editing in P. vannamei. We will also discuss the potential of genome editing to advance shrimp aquaculture and explore the opportunities ahead for integrating this technology into breeding programs.