Estimation of genetic parameters for carotenoid traits in Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, females

• Published in: Aquaculture 2021-02, Vol.532, p.735990, Article 735990
• Main Authors: Li, Qingqing, Sun, Qiufeng, Liu, Qing, Cheng, Yongxu, Wu, Xugan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carotenoid; Color; Correlation; Eriocheir sinensis; Heritability
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735990

Carotenoids provide essential nutrients, increase pigmentation, antioxidants, reproductive performance and photoprotection for Eriocheir sinensis. The ovaries, hepatopancreas, and carapace of E. sinensis are usually colorful because of carotenoids deposition. In this study, the heritability, genetic, and phenotypic correlations of carotenoids in the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries of E. sinensis were investigated, and the genetic, and phenotypic correlations between color parameters and carotenoids were estimated. Mature E. sinensis females (n = 309) with from 25 full-sib families were used. The results showed that the heritabilities of total carotenoids, astaxanthin, and zeaxanthin in the carapace were 0.07 ± 0.06, 0.08 ± 0.07, and 0.04 ± 0.06, respectively. The heritabilities of total carotenoids, astaxanthin, and β-carotene in the hepatopancreas were 0.08 ± 0.12, 0.06 ± 0.09, and 0.06 ± 0.20, respectively. The heritabilities of total carotenoids, astaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin and β-carotene in the ovaries were 0.14 ± 0.08, 0.11 ± 0.07, 0.10 ± 0.07, 0.09 ± 0.07, 0.01 ± 0.04, and 0.10 ± 0.07, respectively. The strongest phenotypic correlations were between total carotenoids and astaxanthin in the carapace and ovaries, and the strongest genetic correlations were between total carotenoids and β-carotene in the hepatopancreas. Redness (a*) was highly correlated with astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, whereas yellowness (b*) was strongly correlated with zeaxanthin and β-carotene. These results showed that the heritabilities of carotenoids in the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries of E. sinensis females are very low. Therefore, carotenoid traits may be an ineffective targets in the selective breeding programs for E. sinensis. •We analyzed genetic parameters of carotenoid traits in E. sinensis females.•Carotenoids in the carapace, hepatopancreas and ovaries had low heritability.•The redness (a*) value was highly correlated with astaxanthin and canthaxanthin.•The yellowness (b*) value was strongly correlated with zeaxanthin and β-carotene.•Carotenoid deposition may be an ineffective target for selective breeding programs.