Genetic selection for improved disease resistance in aquaculture with special reference to shrimp and tilapia breeding programs in Egypt

ABSTRACT

This review discusses the results of previous and current research on breeding for disease resistance in aquaculture with special reference to shrimp and tilapia breeding programs in Egypt. Disease prevention strategies such as elimination, eradication, and cultural control proved to be ineffective, costly, and unsustainable. Selective breeding offers a long-term sustainable disease control by improving genetics of disease resistance. Disease resistance has proved to be heritable trait; there are a number of applied breeding programs designed in several countries to select for improved disease resistance. Thus, Egypt has designed and implemented two breeding programs for genetic improvement of disease resistance in Indian white shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) and red tilapia in late 2014 and early 2015, respectively. The objectives were to genetically improve disease resistance in red tilapia and develop a microsatellite-based genotyping system for F. indicus resistant to diseases for commercial aquaculture in Egypt.

KEYWORDS:

• Selection
• shrimp
• tilapia
• disease resistance
• genetic improvement
• farm production