Quantitative genetics of disease resistance in different groups of Penaeus semisulcatus from preliminary controlled challenge test with Vibrio parahaemolyticus the aetiological agent of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND)

ABSTRACT

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) has caused losses to shrimp farmers worldwide owing to Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP_AHPND). Selective breeding for disease resistance of shrimp was used as an alternative strategy for disease control. Five subsamples of shrimp from 20 full-sib families were subjected to a cohabitation challenge test. Juveniles of P. semisulcatus (mean weight 2.5 ± 0.17 g) were tested for survival after challenge with VP_AHPND. Mortality in the challenge test was recorded daily, and the experiment was terminated after 96 days when the mortality ceased. Moderate heritabilities were estimated in resistance to VP_AHPND based on a linear model (LM) and threshold model (TM). This indicates that disease resistance is a heritable trait, and a challenge test may serve as a basis for selection for resistance to VP_AHPND in P. semisulcatus. However, further investigation is needed to confirm and quantify the additive genetic variation for resistance to VP_AHPND in P. semisulcatus.

KEYWORDS:

• Penaeus semisulcatus
• heritability
• resistance
• challenge test
• genetic selection
• Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Acknowledgments

The authors wishes to thank owners of AL-Dibah Triangle Zone (DTZ) shrimp farm for running the challenge tests as well as all technical staff for the production of the families.

Ethical approval

All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed by the authors. The guidelines of the New South Wales (Australia) state government for the humane harvesting of fish and crustaceans were followed (http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/animal-welfare/general/fish/shellfish) with respect to details regarding the transport of the shrimp and their laboratory maintenance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science & Technology Development Fund (STDF) [5661];