Evaluation of the genetic diversity in Colossoma macropomum for pre-breeding programs in Brazil and Peru

• Grant number: 19/08972-8
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: September 01, 2019 - August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Cooperation agreement: Concytec
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Diogo Teruo Hashimoto
• Grantee: Diogo Teruo Hashimoto
• Principal investigator abroad: Milthon Honorio Muñoz Berrocal
• Institution abroad: Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva (UNAS), Peru
• Home Institution: Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Lieschen Valeria Guerra Lira
• Associated research grant: 18/08416-5 - Low-cost Genome-Wide Association Study and genomic predictions for resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), AP.R

Abstract

Aquaculture is projected as one of the main protein sources to feed the increased world consumption in the next decades. Brazil and Peru are key players for the aquaculture development in the region and the world, particularly for native species from Amazon region. Aquaculture species diversification and farming of native species is of particular interest in South America. The species Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui or gamitana) occurs in the watersheds of the Amazon River and corresponds to the freshwater fish most produced in the South America aquaculture. Therefore, C. macropomum represents one of the main candidate fish to be improved by means of selective breeding, especially due to its market acceptance (national and international). Breeding programs are fundamental practices for the sustainable development of aquaculture, allowing an increase in productive performance associated with an efficient use of food, water and productive areas. However, less than 10% of the aquaculture production is based on genetically improved stocks and it is found limited to only few species. Selection of genetically superior organisms without suitable control usually intensifies the process of genetic drift and reduction of genetic variability, mainly due to the reduced effective population size of fish farms stocks. As consequence, negative impacts such as reduced growth rates, low survival, morphological deformities and susceptibility to disease are often related to inbreeding depression, and the occurrence of deleterious alleles in homozygous. Therefore, pre-breeding programs through the evaluation of genetic diversity and population structure to assist directed matings commonly provide advantageous expressive and enduring genetic gains for fish production. In this proposal, the work missions will be established to prepare a joint research project, focusing the analysis of farmed stocks of C. macropomum by SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms). This future project will be performed to assess the levels of genetic diversity, structure, and kinship assignment, as support to design suitable pre-breeding program of C. macropomum in Brazil and Peru. During the exchange activities, we intend to visit some commercial fish farms in Brazil and Peru, and initiate the collect of samples for future analysis of genetic diversity in broodstocks of C. macropomum. (AU)