Applying genomic selection to improve barramundi aquaculture
The Victorian-based company Mainstream Aquaculture is using the latest genomic technology advances to produce and supply super-fast growing barramundi to the world. Barramundi, also known as Asian sea bass, is rapidly growing in popularity and production around the world. The University of Melbourne, James Cook University and Nofima (Norwegian Institute of Aquaculture) have collaborated to apply this technology to Mainstream Aquaculture’s barramundi breeding program. One generation of genomic selection has the potential to increase growth rate by between 10 and 30%, so the accumulated gains over years of genomic selection will greatly improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability (reduced carbon footprint/kg of production) of barramundi farming. The findings of this barramundi study have important implications for the selection of other aquaculture species where breeding programs are contained in recirculating aquaculture and diverse aquaculture production environments are used.
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