Estimation of genetic parameters for carotenoid traits in Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, females

Carotenoids provide essential nutrients, increase pigmentation, antioxidants, reproductive performance and photoprotection for Eriocheir sinensis. The ovaries, hepatopancreas, and carapace of E. sinensis are usually colorful because of carotenoids deposition. In this study, the heritability, genetic, and phenotypic correlations of carotenoids in the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries of E. sinensis were investigated, and the genetic, and phenotypic correlations between color parameters and carotenoids were estimated. Mature E. sinensis females (n = 309) with from 25 full-sib families were used. The results showed that the heritabilities of total carotenoids, astaxanthin, and zeaxanthin in the carapace were 0.07 +/- 0.06, 0.08 +/- 0.07, and 0.04 +/- 0.06, respectively. The heritabilities of total carotenoids, astaxanthin, and beta-carotene in the hepatopancreas were 0.08 +/- 0.12, 0.06 +/- 0.09, and 0.06 +/- 0.20, respectively. The heritabilities of total carotenoids, astaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, canthaxanthin and beta-carotene in the ovaries were 0.14 +/- 0.08, 0.11 +/- 0.07, 0.10 +/- 0.07, 0.09 +/- 0.07, 0.01 +/- 0.04, and 0.10 +/- 0.07, respectively. The strongest phenotypic correlations were between total carotenoids and astaxanthin in the carapace and ovaries, and the strongest genetic correlations were between total carotenoids and beta-carotene in the hepatopancreas. Redness (a*) was highly correlated with astaxanthin and canthaxanthin, whereas yellowness (b*) was strongly correlated with zeaxanthin and beta-carotene. These results showed that the heritabilities of carotenoids in the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries of E. sinensis females are very low. Therefore, carotenoid traits may be an ineffective targets in the selective breeding programs for E. sinensis.

Automated summary

The study found that the heritabilities of carotenoids in the carapace, hepatopancreas, and ovaries of female Eriocheir sinensis are very low, indicating that carotenoid traits may not be effective targets in selective breeding programs.