Using RAPD markers potential to identify heritability for growth in Fenneropenaeus indicus

Sampling was done using 90 post larvae which were produced by reproduction of some broodstocks of Fenneropenaeus indicus in one day and reared in the same situation for 4 months. Samples were divided into 3 groups: high, medium and low growth (based on weight and length). Genomic DNA was extracted from muscle tissue using the phenol-chloroform method. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out using 21 RAPD loci and PCR products were separated on 3% Agarose gel. From 21 loci studied, 12 produced polymorphic bands. The most polymorphic produced bands using OPAQ 9 and the least by OPAQ 7. Search for specific markers in F. indicus one specific band was observed in the low growth group using OPAQ4. The highest genetic distance (0.457) was between the low growth group and the medium and the lowest (0.091) between high growth and medium groups, therefore the highest genetic identity (0.912) was between high growth and medium groups and the lowest (0.633) between low growth group and the medium. Neighbor-joining resulted in two groups, the first including high and medium growth groups and the second low growth group. It appears that low growth group depended on separated population. Considering the mean weight of F1 (mean weight of 90 specimens) (16.25±1.5 g), parental generation mean weight of 15 ±1.2 and mean weight of parent 31.6 g, response to selection (R) and heritability for growth in this species were estimated to be 1.2±0.2 and 0.07±0.01 respectively.