ARS | Publication request: CRACKING THE CODE: SELECTING FOR RESISTANCE AGAINST BACTERIAL COLD-WATER DISEASE

Submitted to: Trout Talk
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 28, 2006
Publication Date: August 15, 2006
Citation: Silverstein, J., Palti, Y., Vallejo, R.L., Welch, T.J., Wiens, G.D. 2006. Cracking the code: selecting for resistance against bacterial cold-water disease. Trout Talk.

Technical Abstract: At the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture (NCCCWA) reducing the negative impact of diseases on rainbow trout culture is a primary objective. Bacterial cold-water disease, a chronic disease of rainbow trout is caused by Flavobacterium psychrophilum. This bacterium also causes acute losses in young fish known as rainbow trout fry syndrome. Improving innate resistance is particularly important for fish that are <4 g because they typically respond poorly to vaccines. Selective breeding continues to be at the core of our rainbow trout improvement strategy, and implementing new tools such as marker association studies and QTL identification will permit us to better ¿crack the code¿ and determine the specific location and identity of the genes involved with resistance to bacterial cold-water disease. In this article we discuss how our understanding of genes and DNA markers can be used to speed progress toward development of bacterial cold-water disease resistant fish. Providing both the identification of the genes and the improved germplasm will facilitate the transfer of research progress to the US trout farmers.