2008/713 Ploidy manipulation of penaeid shrimp to create reproductively sterile, female stocks for commercial production

By Andrew Foote

Domestication and selective breeding programs in a number of cultured penaeid shrimp species worldwide have substantially improved commercially desirable traits compared to wild stocks.  Currently, triploidy is the only method known to guarantee inhibition of reproduction in shrimp and thus confer genetic protection. In addition, triploidy can increase the proportion of females in some shrimp species which is commercially desirable, as females grow faster than males.

This study progressively trialled a range of novel techniques to improve triploid inductions in M. japonicus and P. monodon in an attempt to move this technology towards commercialisation. This study also used alternative treatment agents in an attempt to produce viable tetraploids

Cold temperature and hydrostatic pressure inhibits first mitosis and is lethal to all embryos, both tetraploid and diploid. Handling of fragile eggs and embryos in chamber inductions resulted in reduced hatching rates as a result of the physical stress. Production of triploid prawns using large hydrostatic pressure chamber addresses some major constraints to commercial adoption of triploidy.