Lactococcosis is a well-known infectious disease affecting aquaculture farming systems , caused by the increase in water temperature associated to the global warming . Lactococcus garvieae , a warm-water pathogen, is the responsible of lactococcosis and significant economic losses in aquaculture worldwide , in particular for rainbow trout farming system. T he loss due to this infection is around 10-60% of the total rainbow trout production; mortality increasing are reported when water temperature exceeds 15 °C . The overall objective of SUPERTROUT is to improve sustainability and profitability of small-scale farming system facing lactococcosis in rainbow trout applying innovative strategies.
This infectious disease is a critical issue for the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea where the temperate climate, associated with the global warming, in recent years, favoured the durability and diffusion of lactococcosis outbreaks. This issue mainly concerns Italy, Turkey, Spain and Greece , top producers of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).
The increase in the demand for aquaculture products brings with it the need to make production systems more efficient and sustainable. This entails a management and technological improvement, including:
- selection of natural genetic resistance of trout by testing the mutation 140T on MHC II gene;
- development of recombinant vaccine to be administered by immersion;
- improvement of reproductive performances exploiting trout genetic features.
The use of marker assisted selection and the development of recombinant vaccine will enhance sustainability of the farming system, mainly due to the reduction of antibiotic treatment, and of the consequent environmental contamination with antimicrobials and of the risk of antibiotic-resistance development. This approach will contribute to increase profitability, reducing direct and indirect costs related to disease control.