Norway-headquartered Benchmark Genetics has published a new study in the Journal of Aquaculture highlighting advancements in genetic resistance to enterocytozoon hepatorenal (EHP) and white feces syndrome (WFS) in vannamei shrimp.
This discovery opens the door to sustainable disease management solutions for shrimp farmers, offering the potential for enhanced productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship across the industry, it said.
"Co-infection of EHP and specific bacteria like Vibrio has been identified as a major contributor to WFS, leading to stunted shrimp growth and significant financial losses for farmers," it explained.
Benchmark's research, conducted through a challenge test experiment on a population from its breeding program in Colombia, demonstrates the feasibility of using genetic selection to enhance disease resistance in shrimp.
Notably, the study identifies moderate heritability for resistance to co-infection, underscoring the potential for selective breeding to bolster shrimp health and resilience against these diseases.
The genetics firm has already implemented these findings into practice, applying genomic selection in its breeding program to produce shrimp lines with improved resistance to co-infection by EHP and WFS, it said.
"We are thrilled to share our research findings with the aquaculture community," said Carlos Lozano, lead for the shrimp and tilapia breeding program at Benchmark. "This study reinforces our commitment to pioneering genetics-based solutions and highlights our dedication to enhancing both the economic and environmental sustainability of
shrimp farming worldwide."
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