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Genetic Gain for Growth and Delayed Sexual Maturation Using a Feral Strain of Anadromous Brook Trout
Author(s) -
Bastien Andréane,
Perry Guy M. L.,
Savaria JeanYves,
Bernatchez Louis,
Audet Céline
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
north american journal of aquaculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.432
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1548-8454
pISSN - 1522-2055
DOI - 10.1080/15222055.2011.544609
Subject(s) - biology , control line , sexual maturity , salvelinus , fish migration , heritability , trout , domestication , zoology , population , selective breeding , captivity , genetic variation , strain (injury) , ecology , demography , genetics , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , anatomy , gene , transmission line , sociology , electrical engineering , engineering
A selective breeding program was initiated with a wild population of anadromous brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis from the Laval River, Quebec. The objective was to develop a new strain characterized by improved growth and reduced precocious sexual maturation. A control line was maintained by use of random within‐family selection. Length and weight were measured and sexual maturity (mature or not mature) was determined at the end of the second year of growth (22 months of age). In the selected line, phenotypic variance, additive genetic variance, and heritability for weight within the selected families were reduced. A comparison between generations showed that fish weight at 22 months in the selected line increased by 23.1% from the F 1 to the F 2 generation and by 32.1% from the F 2 to the F 3 generation. The control line increased similarly in weight from the F 1 to the F 2 generation (34.7%) but not thereafter; this result was probably due to the domestication effect in the first generation after captivity. The proportion of fish that were immature at 22 months was 32.2% in the F 1 generation and increased to 61.4% by the F 3 generation in the selected line; the proportion immature did not change significantly after two generations in the control line (27.5%). Our results show that simultaneous selection for growth and late sexual maturation are compatible goals for brook trout breeding programs. Received April 29, 2009; accepted August 9, 2010