Response to individual selection for age at sexual maturity in Atlantic salmon
Abstract
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that mature sexually at 1 year of age (as parr or precocious males), at 4 years of age (after two winters in the sea) and at 5 years of age (after three winters in the sea) were used to study response to individual selection for age at sexual maturity. Six mating groups were made: between fish of the same age (4 × 4 and 5 × 5); reciprocal matings between 4- and 5-year-old fish (4 × 5 and 5 × 4); and matings between 1-year-old precocious males and 4- and 5-year-old females (1 × 4 and 1 × 5). Parental age at sexual maturity was found to influence markedly the offspring age at sexual maturity. The heritability for age at maturity in the sea was estimated at 0.48 ± 0.20 from the offspring-dam regression. It is concluded that there is considerable opportunity to alter the age at sexual maturity in Atlantic salmon through selection. Evidence was found that maturation of parr is a heritable trait and that it is independently inherited from maturation in the sea.
- Publication:
-
Aquaculture
- Pub Date:
- 1984
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0044-8486(84)90147-9
- Bibcode:
- 1984Aquac..38..229G