ISSN 2375-0715
African Journal of Fisheries Science ISSN 2375-0715 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Monosex production of African catfish, Heterobranchus longifilis, through gynogenesis and androgenesis
Olufeagba S. O.* and Yisa Moses
Fish Genetic Improvement Laboratory, National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries Research (NIFFR) P. M. B. 6006, New Bussa, Niger State.
Accepted 14 March, 2019
Abstract
Chromosome engineering is a biotechnology tool currently used for fish improvement. Heterobranchus longifilis gynogens were produced by fertilizing eggs with irradiated sperm of the same species and subjecting the zygote to cold shock at 5°C, 40 min after fertilization for 15 min. To induce androgens, irradiated eggs were fertilized with normal spermatocytes and allowed to incubate for 40 min, then cold-shocked at 5°C for 15 min in a thermoregulated chamber to restore diploidy. Induction of gynogenesis and androgenesis was possible as 50.7 and 6.7% hatchability were obtained, respectively. After six days of rearing, the percentage survival of gynogens (97.8%) was better than that of the androgens (6.25%).
Key words: African catfish, Heterobranchus longifilis, polyploidy, gynogenesis, androgenesis.