DOMESTICATION AND SELECTIVE BREEDING of Penaeus monodon.

Despite the long history of farming of Penaeus monodon, and the long period since the species was first domesticated at an experimental scale, progress with commercial-scale domestication and selective breeding of this species has been slow. Over the past decade a range of programs have been initiated, focused on supplying either genetically improved and/or specific pathogen free seedstock. Few of these breeding programs have been sustained over decadal time periods and produced significant quantities of commercial seedstock. However, several P. monodon breeding enterprises have been successful demonstrating the potential for commercial domestication and selective breeding of the species. Certainly, if P. monodon is to be a significant commercial aquaculture species in future decades, there will be ongoing need for healthy, high performance seedstock, which will need to be supplied from selective breeding programs.

This current paper reviews the progress made towards domesticating and selective breeding of Penaeus monodon. Initially, aspects of the biology of the species are discussed, particularly in relation to the challenge of domesticating this species at commercial scale. Different approaches employed for commercial domestication and selective breeding of the species are reviewed. Some comparison with the approaches used in the domestication and selective breeding of Litopenaeus vannamei are made. Estimates of quantitative genetic parameters for key grow-out and reproductive traits, derived from both research and commercial programs, are presented. Finally, thoughts on the future opportunities and challenges for Penaeus monodon breeding globally are made.