Wenying Hong , Rudi Mai

Tropical Bioresources Research Center, Hainan Tropical Agricultural Resources Research Institute, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Animal Molecular Breeding, 2025, Vol. 15, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/amb.2025.15.0002
Received: 15 Dec., 2024    Accepted: 17 Jan., 2025    Published: 30 Jan., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Hong W.Y., and Mai R.D., 2025, Meta analysis of growth traits in tilapia and strategies for genetic improvement, Animal Molecular Breeding, 15(1): 9-18 (doi: 10.5376/amb.2025.15.0002)

This study explored the analysis of the growth characteristics of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), covering core indicators such as body size parameters, growth rate, feed conversion efficiency (FCR), and sexual maturity regulation. The core growth traits show the characteristics of medium to high intensity of heritability. There is a significant genetic correlation among the traits, and they are significantly regulated by the aquaculture environment. Key genetic regulatory elements - including QTL hotspots and functional genes such as IGF1, growth hormone (GH), and myostatin (MSTN) - have been confirmed to dominate the growth regulatory network. The application value of conventional techniques such as family selection and interspecific hybridization, as well as modern biotechnologies such as molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) and whole-genome selection (GS). Although MAS and GS technologies have the advantages of precision and efficiency, the practical application of gene editing tools requires the establishment of standardized processes for ecological risk assessment and commercial promotion. It is further emphasized that building a cross-border genetic data collaboration platform and a joint breeding network is of strategic significance for achieving the scale effect of tilapia genetic improvement and the development of an eco-friendly industry.

 

Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus); Growth traits; Genetic improvement; Meta-analysis; Genomic selection