Genetic parameters of growth and resistance to Polydora ciliata in the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata

The pearl oyster Pinctada fucata is an economically important oyster cultured for pearl production in China. In this study, we used an animal model to estimate the variance components and genetic parameters of growth traits and a sire‐dam threshold model to estimate the resistance of P. fucata to polychaete Polydora ciliata. The results showed that the heritability estimates were 0.3850 ± 0.1421 for shell width, 0.3478 ± 0.1292 for body weight and 0.3387 ± 0.1316 for resistance to P. ciliata, and significantly different from zero (P < 0.05). Both phenotypic and genetic correlations were high between shell width and body weight (0.935 and 0.883 respectively) (P < 0.01), but low between resistance and shell width (0.260 and 0.233 respectively)/body weight (0.152 and 0.083 respectively) (r < 0.30; P > 0.05). The higher heritabilities for shell width, body weight and resistance traits suggested that the three traits can be genetically improved through selective breeding, but the low correlation between growth and resistance traits suggested that the resistance trait can be effectively improved through index selection or through hybridization of two specialized lines, i.e. a high‐resistant line and a high growth line.     

Estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits in cultured clam Meretrix meretrix (Bivalvia: Veneridae) using the Bayesian method based on Gibbs sampling

The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of the growth performance of clam Meretrix meretrix. As part of the breeding programme, 25 full‐sib families nested within eight half‐sib families were produced, planted out and tested to assess the heritability of the total body weight (TW), shell length (SL), shell height (SH) and shell width (SW) at different growth stages. Method of analysis was implemented using the Bayesian method based on the Multiple Trait using Gibbs Sampling under Animal Model program, which was used to estimate the (co)variance components of the traits and conduct genetic analysis. A total of 25 full‐sib families, each with 30–35 individuals within family, were used for the analysis. Significant positive genetic and phenotypic correlations between SL, SW, SH and TW with each other were observed. The growth traits showed high‐magnitude heritabilities, with values ranging from 0.64 to 0.85, which indicates that these traits should respond to selection and therefore should be included in genetic improvement programmes.     

长牡蛎成体生长性状的遗传参数估计

在长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)的选择育种工作中,于2009年和2010年分别获得24个和32个全同胞家系。根据长牡蛎360日龄的壳高、壳长、壳宽、总重、壳重、肉重和出肉率参数,利用ASREML软件的REML方法计算表型变量的方差组分,估算了长牡蛎成体阶段生长性状的遗传参数。结果表明,不同年份长牡蛎家系的生长存在显著差异,2009年家系的壳高、肉重和出肉率显著低于2010年家系(P<0.05),2009年家系的总重则显著高于2010家系(P<0.05)。除出肉率外,2009年和2010年家系的壳高与其他生长性状均存在显著的正相关性(P<0.05)。壳高和总重具有较高的遗传力,分别为0.35±0.15和0.27±0.13。长牡蛎成体阶段各生长性状间的遗传相关和表型相关均为正相关,但相关性的大小不同。本研究估测的长牡蛎成体阶段生长性状的遗传参数,可以为合理制定长牡蛎的育种方案和选择反应预测提供参考依据。     

Variation in Body Weight and Total Length Among Families of White Bass,Morone chrysops,Fry After Communal Rearing

Variation in body weight and total length among 15 families of Phase I white bass, Morone chrysops, was evaluated in a communal pond. Trait heritabilities (h²) were estimated and family pedigrees were determined a posteriori using microsatellite molecular markers. Fry averaged 36.7 ± 2.6 mm and 0.53 ± 0.10 g across all families after 32 days of communal rearing. The number of offspring identified in our sample per family ranged between three and 28. There were significant differences between families in both body weight and length (P < 0.05). The families clustered into four overlapping groups, but family rankings differed by trait. Both traits showed low heritability (h ² = 0.07, length; h ² = 0.06, weight). Subsequent studies in white bass should include assessment of larger fish to obtain genetic estimates at different stages in the production cycle. This study represents the first effort to assess variation among white bass families for any growth-related trait using a communal rearing approach.     

壳白长牡蛎品系生长和壳色性状遗传参数估计

以经过连续4代家系选育获得的壳白长牡蛎(Crassostrea gigas)选育系为亲本,通过巢氏平衡设计建立了30个全同胞家系混合养殖,采用微卫星多重PCR技术进行家系鉴定,基于REML法估算24月龄壳白长牡蛎的生长性状和壳色性状的遗传参数。结果表明,壳白长牡蛎品系壳高、壳长、总重、壳重、L~*(明度)、a~*(红绿轴色品指数)和b~*(黄蓝轴色品指数)的遗传力为中高等水平,依次为0.35±0.13、0.18±0.09、0.20±0.09、0.16±0.08、0.16±0.08、0.27±0.11和0.19±0.08,壳宽、肉重、出肉率、壳型指数A和壳型指数B的遗传力为低等水平,依次是0.07±0.02、0.11±0.06、0.02±0.03、0.08±0.06和0.11±0.06。壳高、壳长、壳宽、总重、壳重和肉重之间的遗传相关和表型相关均为正相关,其中,壳高、壳宽和总重与其他生长性状的相关性较高,分别为0.40±0.65~0.90±0.14、0.39±0.55~0.97±0.24和0.50±0.66~0.99±0.02。壳型指数A和壳型指数B与壳高均为较高的负相关,分别为–0.94±0.16和–0.77±0.19,表明仅以壳高性状为选育目标时,可能不会对长牡蛎壳型改良产生作用。壳白长牡蛎壳色参数与生长性状之间的遗传相关范围为–0.09±0.42~0.91±0.74,不同性状间的遗传相关差异很大,其中L~*与生长参数遗传相关较高,为0.49±0.29~0.91±0.74,表明以壳高、壳长、总重和L~*任一个为选育目标时,其他生长性状都可以获得提高。壳色参数间L~*与a~*负的相关性最高,为–0.96±0.04,L~*与b~*和a~*与b~*相关性较低,分别为–0.08±0.36和0.21±0.31,表明以L~*为选育目标时,可间接降低a~*值。本研究为合理制定壳白长牡蛎新品系育种方案和选择反应预测提供了参考依据。     

Heritability estimates for nutritional quality‐related traits of the Pacific oyster,Crassostrea gigas

Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, are the most abundantly harvested shellfish in the world and are ecologically significant. The content of nutrients, including protein, glycogen, lipid, zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se), is important for oyster meat quality, but heritability estimates of such traits have rarely been reported. In this study, 64 full‐sib families were generated using a nested mating design. Finally, 18 full‐sib families, of which there were nine half‐sib families, with each containing 2 full‐sib families, were sampled for heritability estimates. The narrow‐sense heritabilities of glycogen, protein, lipid, Zn, and Se contents were 0.29 ± 0.02, 0.38 ± 0.02, 0.58 ± 0.08, 0.02 ± 0.02, and 0, respectively. Negative genetic correlations existed between both glycogen and protein content (?0.95 ± 0.004) and between lipid and protein content (?0.59 ± 0.05), whereas a positive correlation was observed between lipid and glycogen content (0.16 ± 0.06). Weak genetic and phenotypical correlations (r = 0–0.2) were observed between shell height and nutritional quality traits. These data demonstrated that glycogen, protein, and lipid content can be chosen in a selective breeding program, but glycogen and lipids cannot be selected together with protein. Furthermore, performing indirect selective breeding for quality traits by selecting traits related to growth is impossible. This study provides information for the development of breeding strategies for oyster quality traits.     

Heritabilities and genetic correlation of shell thickness and shell length growth in a mussel,Mytilus chilensis (Bivalvia:Mytilidae)

Shell thickness in mollusks is generally considered adaptive because of their effects on fitness. However, little is known about the genetic basis of shell thickness. This is important, because the response to selection and the subsequent adaptive microevolution of a trait, such as thickness is only possible when that trait exhibits additive genetic variation. Here, we estimated the narrow‐sense heritability (h²: ratio between additive genetic variance and phenotypic variance) for the traits ‘shell thickness’ and ‘shell length growth’ in a 34‐month‐old cohort of the mussel Mytilus chilensis obtained by using a half‐full sib design and grown in the field. Also, phenotypic and genetic correlations were estimated between both traits. We found that h² showed significant values for shell thickness (0.294 ± 0.194) and length (0.731 ± 0.379). The phenotypic correlation between both traits was positive and significant; however, the genetic correlation between these traits was not. These results suggest both traits can evolve adaptively by selection, but because these traits did not show genetic correlation, it is possible that selection pressure affecting one trait may not affect the other.     

Effects of body weight on the growth and physiology of Salmo salar L. during smoltification

To study the effects of body weight on growth and physiological response mechanism of S. salar, fish of three average body weights were selected: 30.25 ± 2.12 g (SW1), 24.27 ± 1.59 g (SW2) and 18.05 ± 2.46 g (SW3). Condition factor, daily weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were significantly higher in the SW2 group compared with the other treatment groups (P < 0.05). Food conversion ratio decreased with increasing body weight, and weight and specific growth rate of body length were highest in the SW2 group (P < 0.05). Larger fish (SW1 and SW2) had higher haemoglobin concentration and number of red blood cells. The number of white blood cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils were greatest in the SW3 group (P < 0.05), suggesting that these fish had strong resistance to disease. The content of total protein, albumin and urea were significantly higher in the SW2 group compared with other groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of total cholesterol and triglyceride increased with increasing body size (P < 0.05). Hormone (T3 and T4) levels first increased significantly and then decreased in fish of various sizes (P < 0.05), and the concentration of cortisol rose, fell and then rose again in SW1 and SW2 groups. Light affected the endocrine activity of S. salar by influencing the growth performance of the fish, and smaller sized fish exhibited decreased smoltification rate and a reduced success rate of smoltification. Based on these findings, S. salar weighing about 24 g were chosen to begin the process of smoltification.     

Effects of the individual rearing stage on the growth traits of candidate giant freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

In most breeding programs of Macrobrachium rosenbergii, the candidate parents will go through an overwintering period of individual rearing stage (IRS) after the communal rearing stage (CRS). To study whether environmental differences affect the growth traits of candidate parents, the heritability (h²) and genotype by environment (G?×?E) interaction were estimated for harvest body weight (HBW) and average daily weight gain (ADG) in CRS and IRS. The HBWs and ADGs of 3,242 candidate parents from 111 families were recorded at the two stages. The h² estimated for the HBW and ADG in the CRS were medium to high (0.333?±?0.205 and 0.284?±?0.173) and decreased to a medium magnitude in the IRS (0.158?±?0.032 and 0.171?±?0.034). The heritabilities for HBW and ADG were higher in females than that of males in CRS, but the situation reversed in IRS. No significant differences were found in heritabilities of HBW and ADG between males and females in the two stages (P?>?0.05). For HBW, the genetic correlations between the two stages were 0.32?±?0.18 for all candidates, 0.98?±?0.021 for females and 0.073?±?0.24 for males. For ADG, the genetic correlations between the two stages were???0.37?±?0.16 for all candidates,???0.079?±?0.20 for females and???0.51?±?0.18 for males. The IRS had an obvious influence on the growth traits of candidates, especially for males. To select parents more accurately, growth in the IRS should also be taken into consideration in parent selection and mating schemes in breeding programs of M. rosenbergii.

     

Fertilization,Hatching, Survival,and Growth of Third-Generation Colored Pearl Oyster (Pinctada martensii) Stocks

In April of 2009, third-generation black (BS₃), red (RS₃), yellow (YS₃), and white (WS₃) colored stocks of pearl oyster Pinctada martensii were compared in terms of fertilization, hatching, survival, and growth. Among stocks, there were no significant differences in fertilization rate (P > 0.05; values ranging from 94.8%–98.9%). Hatching rates of WS₃ were significantly lower (P < 0.05) at 61.3 ± 6.1% than other stocks (74.3 ± 5.4%, 75.9 ± 5.2%, 73.9 ± 4.9%, for BS₃, RS_3, and YS_3, respectively). Larval survival rates of the BS₃ stock (65.8 ± 9.4%), RS₃ (61.5 ± 8.7%), and YS₃ (58.2 ± 9.2 %) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of the WS₃ stock (44.8 ± 11.2%). On day 8, there were no significant differences in mean shell length among the four colored stocks (P > 0.05). At days 15, 23, 90, 150, 210, and 325, however, significant differences in mean shell length among the four colored stocks were observed (P < 0.05). The BS₃ stock had consistently larger mean shell length than the other colored stocks.     

Genetic parameters of survival for six generations in the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Genetic parameters were estimated for survival of Macrobrachium rosenbergii using a fully pedigreed synthetic population formed by three introduced strains. The data included 107 398 progeny from 394 sires and 654 dams in six generations with a nested mating structure. The variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using a generalized linear mixed model with the probit link function. Available heritabilities in survival from the generation G₃ to G₅ ranged from 0.007 ± 0.020 to 0.066 ± 0.044 (P > 0.05) using a model that included the common environmental effect (c). Across generations, low heritability (0.016 ± 0.012, P > 0.05) was estimated using the model with inclusion of the c effect. There were statistically significant differences in the heritability estimates between different ponds for most generations. Moreover, the genetic correlation of survival between ponds over six generations varied from low to high (?0.0007 ± 0.17 to 0.80 ± 0.069) and was significantly different from unity. There were low correlation coefficients (?0.039 ± 0.096 to 0.342 ± 0.081) between body weight estimated breeding value (EBV) and survival EBV of families in different generations. The low heritabilities for survival are most likely caused by low genetic variation in the founder populations and reduced genetic variation because of consecutive selection.     

壳白长牡蛎基因型与环境互作(G×E)效应分析

为探索壳白长牡蛎品系的壳色性状和生长性状的基因型与环境互作(G×E)效应,利用巢氏设计构建全同胞家系,每个家系分成两组分别在乳山和荣成海域进行养殖。利用线性混合模型和REML法分析11月龄壳白长牡蛎生长性状和壳色性状的遗传力及G×E效应。采用最佳线性无偏预测法(BLUP法)估计壳高和L~*两个性状的育种值,并通过加权获得综合育种值来筛选优良家系。结果显示,乳山组和荣成组的壳白长牡蛎生长和壳色性状的遗传力不同,分别为(0.14±0.08)～(0.62±0.18)和(0.01±0.03)～(0.78±0.19),可能存在尺度效应。以不同环境为固定效应,综合两个环境计算出的生长和壳色性状的遗传力为(0.02±0.02)～(0.51±0.09),然而由于部分全同胞家系缺失和模型不收敛的原因,估计模型中未包括母本/共同环境效应和显性效应,上述遗传力估计值偏高。本研究中生长和壳色性状在两个环境间的遗传相关为(–0.47±0.40)～(0.75±0.18),均小于0.8,表明壳白长牡蛎品系的生长和壳色性状都具有明显的重排效应,壳白长牡蛎品系其选育需要针对不同的养殖环境培育不同适应性的选育家系。综合育种值排名前20的个体其家系来源比例表明,家系G1和G21对于乳山海域表现出特殊的适应性,而家系G4、G22和G5对荣成海域环境具有特适性,家系G2则对两个环境具有普适性。研究为壳白长牡蛎品系的良种选育提供了重要的参考依据。     

Parental genetic effects evaluation of growth-related traits of red common carp in China

Reciprocal differences have been observed widely for given traits in fish breeding programs, but maternal and paternal effects and heritable extranuclear genetic effects have often been omitted in the evaluation of genetic variance. In this study, we have applied a mixed genetic model to conduct a complete diallel cross using three varieties of red common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), namely, C. carpio. var. singuonensis, C. carpio var. wuyuanensis and C. carpio var. color. Parental and direct (additive and dominance) genetic effects for growth-related traits at 8 and 20 months post-hatch were analyzed. At 8 months post-hatch, only significant additive and dominance variances were observed, while maternal and paternal variances were low and non-significant in the traits evaluated: body weight, total length, standard length, pre-dorsal height, pre-dorsal width, caudal peduncle length, and caudal peduncle height. At 20 months post-hatch, with the exception of significant additive and/or dominance variances, maternal variances were significant for the traits of body weight, pre-dorsal height, pre-dorsal width, and caudal peduncle height, and the paternal variance was significant only for total length. The maternal effects in the common carp had greater genetic influence on offspring than the paternal effects. Female C. carpio var. wuyuanensis were more suitable as brooders than males, but both female and male C. carpio var. color can be used as brooders according to breeding programs of improved traits. Cyprinus carpio var. singuonensis was the worst brooder of the three varieties of common carp evaluated.     

Phenotypic and genetic parameters for body traits in the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) in India

Phenotypic and genetic parameters were estimated for three body traits (harvest weight, carapace length and standard length) and for adult male morphotypes of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii in a fully pedigreed synthetic population in India. The data set included 9,173 progeny produced over four generations from 162 sires and 234 dams. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated fitting an animal model using the residual maximum‐likelihood methodology. The heritabilities for harvest body weight (HW), carapace length (CL) and standard length (SL) were moderate (0.22 ± 0.056, 0.22 ± 0.055 and 0.25 ± 0.059 respectively). The common environmental effects for HW, CL and SL were 0.10 ± 0.020, 0.08 ± 0.018 and 0.10 ± 0.021 respectively. As M. rosenbergii is sexually dimorphic, we estimated heritabilities within each sex. Heritability of HW in females (0.27 ± 0.068) was greater than that in males (0.15 ± 0.057). CL and SL followed the same pattern. The occurrence of male morphotypes is a unique characteristic of adult populations of M. rosenbergii. Populations from culture ponds exhibit a wide range of sizes. To examine whether there was a heritable component in male morphotype frequencies, we treated male morphotypes as traits. The additive genetic variance (and hence the heritability) was zero for male morphotype, indicating that selective breeding to increase the proportion of desirable male morphotypes would not be effective. The genetic correlations among body traits were all positive, high and approaching unity. The results are discussed in relation to selection plans for the giant freshwater prawn.     

Estimating reproductive success of brooders and heritability of growth traits in Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) using microsatellites

Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer) is one of the most important marine food fish species in Asia and Australia. To estimate the reproductive success of broodstock and heritabilities of growth‐related traits, two independent full‐factorial crosses (PI and PII) were created by crossing 10 males and 10 females. At 90 days post hatch (dph), the body weight (BW) and total length (TL) of 804 individuals from PI and 900 individuals from PII were measured and tissues samples of each fish were collected. Parents and offspring were genotyped with nine polymorphic microsatellites. Out of 1704 offspring from the two crosses, 98.7% were assigned to their parents. In PI, 19 of 20 parents produced offspring, while in PII, only five parents contributed to offspring. Low contribution of parents to offspring could lead to reduced genetic variation in the next generation. Heritabilities for growth‐related traits were estimated using the pedigrees reconstructed using microsatellite genotypes. The estimates of heritability were 0.22±0.16 and 0.25±0.18 for BW, 0.31±0.14 and 0.24±0.21 for TL and 0.22±0.22 and 0.15±0.09 for Fulton's condition factor in the two crosses respectively. Body weights at 90 dph and at harvest (289 dph) were significantly correlated (r=0.601, P<0.01). Therefore, growth‐related traits could be improved by exploiting additive genetic effects through selective breeding, and broodstock candidates could be selected early in the production cycle.     

Genetic parameters of survival in four generations of Indian white shrimp (Fenneropeneaus indicus)

This study evaluated the genetic variance for survival at harvest of Indian white shrimp (Fenneropenaeus indicus) using a pedigreed synthetic population generated upon collecting broodstock from different fishery grounds in Egypt. The estimated heritabilities (h² ± SE) of survival from generations G₀ to G₃ ranged from 0.144 ± 0.026 to 0.008 ± 0.030 using a model that included the common environmental effect (c²). Low heritability (0.014 ± 0.015) was estimated across generations with the inclusion of common environmental effect (c²). However, the h² of survival from G₀ to G₁ ranged from 0.569 ± 0.071 to 0.410 ± 0.011 when c² was not included. The genetic correlation for survival between different ponds from G₀ to G₃ was moderate to high (0.79 ± 0.042 to 0.83 ± 0.012) but significantly different (P < 0.05). There were low correlation coefficients (?0.237 ± 0.089 to 0.316 ± 0.073) between body weight estimated breeding value (EBV) and survival EBV of families in four generations.     

泥蚶生长性状与SSR标记的相关性

泥蚶生长性状属于数量性状,为了筛选与泥蚶生长性状位点连锁的分子标记,本研究以150颗选育品系F4泥蚶为对象,利用12个SSR位点进行生长性状关联分析。对生长性状的相关分析表明,各数量性状之间的相关系数均达到极显著水平,其中壳高与活体质量的相关系数最大(0.930),壳长与活体质量次之(0.927);但通径分析显示,对活体质量直接影响最大的是壳宽(0.431),壳长次之(0.332),决定系数与以上通径分析结果的变化趋势一致。应用SSR位点对选育品系F4泥蚶进行遗传多样性分析,共检测到61个等位基因,等位基因数(Na)为3～8个,平均等位基因和有效等位基因(Ne)分别为5.083和3.038;平均观测杂合度(Ho)、期望杂合度(He)和多态性信息含量(PIC)分别为0.528、0.646和0.594,表明该群体遗传多样性处于较高水平。SSR位点与生长性状相关性分析,结果获得3个标记与生长性状具有显著相关性,其中标记3012-2与壳长、壳宽、壳顶宽显著相关,标记3564与壳高、放射肋宽显著相关,标记2692与壳长显著相关,据此初步确定为与生长性状相关的候选标记。本研究旨在为泥蚶的遗传改良和选择育种提供基础资料。     

Family growth response to different laboratory culture environments shows genotype–environment interaction in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

This study investigated the genetic variation and genotype–environment interaction (GEI) in the early growth stage among seven full‐sib families of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. From each of the seven families, 180 or 270 sea urchins of the same size were exposed to three laboratory environments (E₁, E₂ and E₃). These environments were commonly used in breeding programs for S. intermedius. After a 102 days trial, test height, test diameter, body weight and the coefficient of variation of body weight were determined. The results revealed significant family effects on most growth traits in all the three environments (except for test diameter in environment E₂), and significant environmental effects on growth in several families (family 1, 5, 6, 7). The study also revealed that the coefficient of variation in body weight varied significantly among the families (P < 0.01) but not among the environments. Highly significant GEI effects were also recorded for all growth traits (P ≤ 0.001), except for the coefficient of variation in body weight (P > 0.05). Variances of GEI accounted for about 0–2.742% of phenotypic variances for the investigated traits. Significant GEI caused a certain degree family ranking inversions for the growth traits. The present study provides evidence for the existence of GEI in the family selection of sea urchin S. intermedius. More attention should be paid to the GEI to obtain satisfactory genetic gain in S. intermedius.     

Heritabilities and genetic correlations of size traits at harvest size in sexually dimorphic Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) grown in two environments

A captive population of Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) replicated in two environments was evaluated for genetic variability and covariability of size traits. A total of 37 full‐sib families, each with an average of 16–20 individuals within family, were used for the analysis. There was no family by environment interaction for any of the traits. However, both fixed effects, sex and environment, were significant. The shrimp grown in environment ‘B’ (Sinaloa) grew larger and heavier than those grown in environment ‘A’ (La Paz), possibly because of the higher temperatures and lower densities in the first one during grow‐out. The females were significantly larger than the males for all traits, except for abdominal (tail) length and weight. The heritabilities, estimated through MTDFREML (multiple‐trait derivative‐free restricted maximum likelihood) after introducing environment and sex as fixed effects, were total length 0.22±0.07, abdominal length 0.23±0.07, cephalothorax length 0.17±0.06, total weight 0.17±0.06, abdominal weight 0.18±0.06, cephalothorax weight 0.15±0.06, and width of the first abdominal segment (0.14±0.05). Genetic correlations (r_g) were high between the length and weight (total and abdominal), but lower for cephalothorax weight or length with the other traits. The width of the first abdominal segment correlations with other traits was intermediate.     

Genetic variation in the growth traits of straight-bred and crossbred black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri Munro) at 90 days of age

The current slow growth rate of black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri Munro) impedes their widespread commercial aquaculture across inland southern Australia. We report initial estimates of genetic variation for growth traits at 90 days of age from a diallel cross using two black bream populations. Standard length, total length, and wet weight varied significantly among lines and among half‐sib groups within lines. Differences among half‐sib groups explained 6.8% of the total variance in standard length, 8.3% in total length, and 7.1% in wet weight, giving estimated heritabilities over all lines of 0.27±0.11 for standard length, 0.33±0.13 for total length, and 0.28±0.12 for wet weight. There was no evidence for heterosis in any traits when straight‐bred and crossbred lines were compared. There were high phenotypic (r_P=0.95–0.98) and genetic (r_G=0.63–0.69) correlations among all growth traits.