Collaborative tilapia research scoops award. Collaborative research between Benchmark Genetics and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit (AAHRU) in Auburn, Alabama, has been awarded the USDA-ARS Southeast Area Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer.
Improved disease resistance is a key to improved animal welfare, environmental and economic sustainability, and thus to the success of the tilapia industry. Bacterial disease outbreaks cost the global tilapia sector more than $ 1 billion per year in losses and are difficult to treat. The pioneering work on selection for improved disease resistance in Nile tilapia recognised by this award commenced in 2014 and has produced impressive results with the potential for significant impact across the global tilapia sector.
Researchers from USDA’s Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit (AAHRU) in Auburn, Alabama, found that their expertise in tilapia diseases complemented the strengths of two industry partners: Spring Genetics, which has expertise in tilapia breeding and production, and Benchmark Genetics Norway, specialists in selective breeding in aquaculture.
The AAHRU researchers and their Benchmark colleagues have developed effective models for large-scale controlled challenge testing of breeding nucleus families, facilitating effective selection for improved resistance to major bacterial pathogens impacting tilapia production globally.
Furthermore, combined with advanced genomic information, this work has paved the way for the implementation of marker-assisted selection for resistance to Streptococcus iniae and genomic selection for S. agalactiae and Francisella Orientalis in Spring Genetics’ breeding programme, further improving the efficacy of selection. Facilitated through Material Transfer Research Agreements (MTRA), this collaboration has contributed to the development of Benchmark’s Spring Tilapia® strain. Through generations of combined selection for disease resistance and other important traits like growth, the Spring Tilapia® strain is among the highest performing Nile tilapia globally.