Phenotypically Selective Genotyping Realizes More Genetic Gains in a Rainbow Trout Breeding Program in the Presence of Genotype-by-Environment Interactions

Selective genotyping of phenotypically superior animals may lead to bias and less accurate genomic breeding values (GEBV). Performing selective genotyping based on phenotypes measured in the breeding environment (B) is not necessarily a good strategy when the aim of a breeding program is to improve animals’ performance in the commercial environment (C). Our simulation study compared different genotyping strategies for selection candidates and for fish in C in a breeding program for rainbow trout in the presence of genotype-by-environment interactions when the program had limited genotyping resources and unregistered pedigrees of individuals. For the reference population, selective genotyping of top and bottom individuals in C based on phenotypes measured in C led to the highest genetic gains, followed by random genotyping and then selective genotyping of top individuals in C. For selection candidates, selective genotyping of top individuals in B based on phenotypes measured in B led to the highest genetic gains, followed by selective genotyping of top and bottom individuals and then random genotyping. Selective genotyping led to bias in predicting GEBV. However, in scenarios that used selective genotyping of top fish in B and random genotyping of fish in C, predictions of GEBV were unbiased, with genetic correlations of 0.2 and 0.5 between traits measured in B and C. Estimates of variance components were sensitive to genotyping strategy, with an overestimation of the variance with selective genotyping of top and bottom fish and an underestimation of the variance with selective genotyping of top fish. Unbiased estimates of variance components were obtained when fish in B and C were genotyped at random. In conclusion, we recommend phenotypic genotyping of top and bottom fish in C and top fish in B for the purpose of selecting breeding animals and random genotyping of individuals in B and C for the purpose of estimating variance components when a genomic breeding program for rainbow trout aims to improve animals’ performance in C.