Genetic parameter estimates for growth-related traits of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) using microsatellite-based pedigree

Blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) is an herbivorous freshwater fish species native to China and has been recognized as a main aquaculture species in the Chinese freshwater polyculture system with high economic value. The genetic parameter estimates for important economic traits are needed for its selective breeding. The aim of this study was to estimate the heritabilities for its growth-related traits and explore the genetic and phenotypic correlations among the traits using microsatellite-based pedigree approach. Offspring from a mass-spawning of 92 broodstocks (42 sires and 50 dams) were reared in a communal pond and nine microsatellites were used to identify the parents of each sampled offspring. Of 749 offspring randomly selected, 708 (94.53%) could be assigned directly to a single parental pair, which was used for heritability estimates. Data were analysed using the method of restricted maximum likelihood (REML) using animal model and the results showed that the heritabilities of body weight, body length, total length and body height were 0.65, 0.53, 0.53 and 0.50, respectively. High genetic correlations were found among these four traits. According to these results, selection for growth seems to be feasible in M. amblycephala and the other growth traits will be heightened accordingly with the selection based on body length.