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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Auburn, Alabama » Aquatic Animal Health Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #392577
Research Project: Integrated Research to Improve Aquatic Animal Health in Warmwater Aquaculture

Location: Aquatic Animal Health Research

Title: White bass broodstock and genome resources development in support of hybrid striped bass aquaculture

Author
item Abernathy, Jason
item Rawles, Steven - Steve
item McEntire, Matthew - Matt
item Sealey, Wendy
item GAYLORD, GIBSON - Us Fish And Wildlife Service
item Webster, Carl

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2022
Publication Date: 3/10/2022
Citation: Abernathy, J.W., Rawles, S.D., Mcentire, M.E., Sealey, W.M., Gaylord, G.T., Webster, C.D. 2022. White bass broodstock and genome resources development in support of hybrid striped bass aquaculture[abstract]. 2022 North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference. New Bern, NC. March 10-12, 2022.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: White bass (Morone chrysops) is a parental species of hybrid striped bass (M. chrysops x M. saxatilis), a fish of increasing commercial importance throughout the US. A chief constraint to the expansion of hybrid striped bass production arises from the use of wild-catch parents in breeding programs. This is costly, unsustainable and leads to uncontrolled variation in the offspring. Our goal is to advance progress in the genetic improvement of hybrids by building additional white bass resources to facilitate selective breeding for agriculturally important traits. To do so, white bass were gathered from Arkansas, Texas and Alabama along with available domesticated strain and used to establish a breeding population for family-wise evaluations of growth and nutrient utilization on alternative, sustainable diets. For the founding populations, white bass were evaluated and selected for growth on a fishmeal-free diet. Genotype x Environment diet studies were commenced and suggested available white bass resources were conducive to selective improvement on alternative feeds. Thus, after the initial two year-class, fish were evaluated and selectively bred for growth while being fed an all plant protein diet. Additionally, improvement of genetic maps and development of molecular markers to discriminate sex, parentage and other critical traits in moronid aquaculture are ongoing. Progress towards white bass genetics resources, selective breeding, and genomic tools research will be presented and discussed at the NOAA Sea Grant Striper Hub - Production Research Update session.