NOVEL METHODS FOR MICROSATELLITE ASSISTED FAMILY SELECTION UNDER COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION CONDITIONS IN ECUADOR, COMPARISON WITH PUBLISHED DATA FOR GROWTH AND SURVIVAL USING ELASTOMER TAGGING
The survival and growth of families of Penaeus vannamei were evaluated under commercial extensive culture conditions. These characteristics were evaluated from stocking with PL12 to commercial harvest size using microsatellite markers to designate the paternity of surviving animals in replicate mixed evaluation ponds by reference to ponds only containing pure families. Four groups of families were evaluated in this manner, 34 families in total. Twelve of these 34 families were selected as broodstock for the next generation based on their estimated breeding values and intra-familial selection for growth has been performed on these selected families.
Replication of growth performance between families in replicate ponds was extremely consistent, with statistical values for R2 of 0.92, 0.79, 0.75 and 0.77 respectively in the four groups evaluated. Correlation for survival was positive but less consistent with R2 of 0.60, 0.11, 0.39 and 0.88 in the four groups. Between families in the same pond there was no consistent correlation between growth and survival in these results, indicating that these factors require individual evaluation. Our results show very different correlations to those reported in the literature for family performance based on the evaluation of families for these characteristics using elastomer tagging techniques. We attribute these differences to a much reduced effect of common environment in our results.
Replication of growth performance between families in replicate ponds was extremely consistent, with statistical values for R2 of 0.92, 0.79, 0.75 and 0.77 respectively in the four groups evaluated. Correlation for survival was positive but less consistent with R2 of 0.60, 0.11, 0.39 and 0.88 in the four groups. Between families in the same pond there was no consistent correlation between growth and survival in these results, indicating that these factors require individual evaluation. Our results show very different correlations to those reported in the literature for family performance based on the evaluation of families for these characteristics using elastomer tagging techniques. We attribute these differences to a much reduced effect of common environment in our results.