COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWTH, BIOCHEMICAL-COMPOSITION AND ENDOCRINE PROFILES IN DIPLOID AND TRIPLOID TILAPIA OREOCHROMIS-NILOTICUS L

Growth, biochemical composition and endocrine profiles of normal diplo id and pressure, heat and cold shock induced triploids of Oreochromis niloticus were investigated. Triploid females were not significantly d ifferent from diploid females in growth rate or proximate composition but they were found to be functionally and endocrinologically sterile. Triploid and diploid males showed no significant differences in growt h, proximate composition, endocrine profiles or secondary sexual chara cteristics but the triploids were gametically sterile. The potential v alue of triploid tilapia being used to avoid precocious sexual maturat ion and concomitant culture problems are discussed.