Genetic parameters and response to selection of harvest body weight of the Chinese shrimp Fenneropenaeus chinensis after five generations of multi-trait selection

Genetic parameters and predicted and realized selection responses were estimated for harvest body weight of Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis) after five generations of multi-trait selection. The body weights of 15,201 tagged shrimp representing 460 full-sib families in 6 generations were recorded at harvest. Heritability estimates for body weight showed large variation in magnitude (0.00±0.00-0.36±0.07) when analyzing data from each generation separately. When data from all generations (G0-G5) were included in analysis, the heritability estimate for body weight was 0.18. While, G0 was more affected by environmental conditions than the other generation in this study, when data from G0 was excluded, the heritability was 0.21. The common environment effect estimate was 0.08 when all data included and 0.06 when G1-G5 included. The females were significantly larger than the males at harvest (P