Smolttest_Pilot
In farmed Atlantic salmon, high survival and robustness in the seawater phase is of critical importance for good growth, good animal welfare and a good economic result. In the current breeding programs, genetic improvement for these traits is sought through selection for growth until harvest and survival in specific disease challenge tests. Although several authors suggests that, mortality and sub-optimal growth in the early phase of sea-transfer could be traced to sub-optimal smolts, a lot of effort have been geared towards optimizing the production environment to produce the best smolts, however, very little is know about the genetic variation underlying such trait. We aim to determine the best and affordable phenotype (blood plasma constituent and RT-qPCR/Smoltvision test) in measuring smoltification status and use that information to estimate the genetic variation and heritability of smoltification status. In addition, the magnitude of the genetic correlation of smoltification status and overall survival at sea will be investigated.
The experiment includes a total of 2,000 0+ Atlantic salmon with an average size of 50g and from 50 families (40 fish per family) . During the smoltification period, 200 fish at 5 sampling times will used to quantify phenotypic variation in smoltification status among individuals and detect a true change in the proportion of smolt (or non-smolt) over time. Smoltification status would be measured using RTqPCR and Blood plasma constituent. Finally at the end of the smoltification process, 1000 fish will be sampled using the RTqPCR measure of smoltification status to estimate genetic variation and heritability of smoltification status.
This experiment is intended as a pilot study. Results from this pilot study would be used to design the main experiment on 1+ Atlantic salmon with larger number of families and family size. Heritability of smoltification status at 1+ and the genetic correlation with smolt status at 0+ and survival at sea would be investigated.
The experiment includes a total of 2,000 0+ Atlantic salmon with an average size of 50g and from 50 families (40 fish per family) . During the smoltification period, 200 fish at 5 sampling times will used to quantify phenotypic variation in smoltification status among individuals and detect a true change in the proportion of smolt (or non-smolt) over time. Smoltification status would be measured using RTqPCR and Blood plasma constituent. Finally at the end of the smoltification process, 1000 fish will be sampled using the RTqPCR measure of smoltification status to estimate genetic variation and heritability of smoltification status.
This experiment is intended as a pilot study. Results from this pilot study would be used to design the main experiment on 1+ Atlantic salmon with larger number of families and family size. Heritability of smoltification status at 1+ and the genetic correlation with smolt status at 0+ and survival at sea would be investigated.