Correct design and management of breeding programs are required to obtain better products oriented to address the needs of both intermediate customers and final consumers. A strategic plan is required to integrate the capabilities of the breeding program and the laboratory with information obtained from molecular markers and phenotypic measurements to provide solutions and achieve goals. At PPGT we have identified traits to be improved for our principal client, Sea Products Development (SPD). These traits include tolerance to specific infections, survivability (endurance), growth rate, and others. This abstract summarizes the steps needed to design and run a breeding program under those conditions.
The first step is genetic characterization of current stocks by means of a low-resolution array of 192 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) generated by the Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT). This provided a picture of the quality of genetic background at the starting point. In parallel, we established challenge test protocols for two of the most significant shrimp diseases: Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Syndrome/Early Mortality Syndrome (AHPND/EMS) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV).
Secondly, pedigree assignment was used to monitor diversity and inbreeding, and as proof of traceability for the breeding program.
The third, and longer-term step involves Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and Marker Assisted Selection (MAS). Although difficult, laborious, and time-consuming, identifying QTLs and linked markers from breeding programs is a desirable, understandable and economically advantageous objective. Increasing the number of animals on which phenotypic traits are measured, and the number of makers screened, increases the probabilities of finding the desired markers. Genomic selection using a 50K chip developed by the CAT, will allow Prometheus/SPD to find specific patterns at the early stages of life of the animals. In that way, we will focus our effort on culturing shrimp that carry the desired markers and at the same time, will protect and fingerprint the stocks. In this way we not only advance the genetic program, but also help maintain reliability and confidentiality.