Genetic Chip Will Help Salmon Farmers Breed Better Fish
Friday, February 28, 2014 - 16:20
in Biology & Nature
Atlantic salmon production could be boosted by a new technology that will help select the best fish for breeding. The development will enable salmon breeders to improve the quality of their stock and its resistance to disease. A chip loaded with hundreds of thousands of pieces of DNA – each holding a fragment of the salmon's genetic code – will allow breeders to detect fish with the best genes. It does so by detecting variations in the genetic code of each individual fish – known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These variations make it possible to identify genes that are linked to desirable physical traits, such as growth or resistance to problematic diseases, for example sea lice infestations. read more