Mg. Hollebecq et P. Haffray, GENETIC-IMPROVEMENT OF COMMON CARP CYPRIN US-CARPIO L - STATE-OF-THE-ART, Bulletin francais de la peche et de la pisciculture, (333), 1994, pp. 93-124
The common carp, whose production area spreads on the two hemispheres,
is the earliest domesticated fish species. Numerous scientific works,
especially in genetics, refer to the carp. The methods of population
genetics allow to define the level of genetic variability. This charac
terization of domesticated and wild stocks leads first to the optimisa
tion of the choice of strains according to zootechnical aims and secon
dly to the elaboration of performing breeding Schemes by use of electr
ophoretical markers. Up to now, biochemical studies have shown the hig
h level of inbreeding of some captive strains and the negative resulta
nt effects on performances (susceptibility to diseases). We can admit
that for such strains a selection plateau has been attained for growth
characteristics. From a practical point of view, the main carp select
ion schemes are based on intraspecific crosses, good results have been
obtained for growth, disease resistance and resistance to cold enviro
nmental condition. Nevertheless the family selection is supposed to of
fer interesting results for carp selection, but it remains to be teste
d. The technics of the induction of monosex diploid or triploid popula
tions are now available, but up to now their breeding characteristics
remain to be examined. Finally, the transgenesis methodology has been
elaborated and sucessfully tested with the common carp.