ARS | Publication request: Relative contribution and genetic parameters of white bass fingerlings reared in communal ponds

Submitted to: Plant and Animal Genome Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 9, 2009
Publication Date: January 9, 2010
Citation: Fuller, S.A., Mcentire, M.E. 2010. Relative contribution and genetic parameters of white bass fingerlings reared in communal ponds [abstract]. Plant and Animal Genome Conference. p.650.

Technical Abstract: Relative family contribution and variation in body weight and total length among families of Phase I white bass Morone chrysops was evaluated in a communal pond. Hatchery-reared domesticated white bass were obtained by manually spawning 3-4 year old brood stock; this resulted in a study with 15 full-sib families. Resulting fry were held in triplicate 600-L static holding tanks until fry were 5 days old. Fry were enumerated by sample counts and were stocked into fertilized earthen ponds. Fry were reared in earthen ponds for 32 days using standard techniques. Resulting fingerlings were seined and a subsample was taken. Individuals in the subsample were measured and weighed, then sacrificed for DNA extraction. Family pedigrees were determined a posteriori using 7 microsatellite molecular markers and trait heritabilities (h2) were estimated. Fingerlings averaged 36.7 (+/-2.6 SD) mm and 0.53 (+/- 0.10) g across all families after 32 days of communal rearing. There were significant differences between families in both traits (P < 0.05). Traits showed low to moderate heritability (h2 = 0.14, length; h2 = 0.08, weight), with a correlation between the traits of 0.91. Subsequent studies in white bass will include assessments of larger fish to obtain genetic estimates at different stages in the production cycle. This study represents the first effort to assess variation among domestic white bass families for any growth-related trait using a communal rearing approach.