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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Research Project #437997

Research Project: Enhancing the Production of Hybrid Striped Bass Through Improved Genetics, Nutrition, Production Management, and Fish Health

Location: Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr

Project Number: 6028-31630-009-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated

Start Date: Mar 6, 2020
End Date: Mar 5, 2025

Objective:
1. Improve the performance of hybrid striped bass (HSB) fingerlings in intensive production systems. 1.A. Develop fish stocking and dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen management strategies for intensive production of HSB. 1.B. Optimize production of advanced HSB fingerlings in the biofloc technology production system. 1.C. Determine the nutritional value of alternative ingredient mixes and supplemental exogenous enzymes for hybrid striped bass. 1.D. Evaluate practical fishmeal-free (FMF) and plant-based diets for HSB performance and nutrient (N & P) retention in intensive production systems. 1.E. Determine optimum feeding regime, live feed enrichment, and feasibility of microparticulate diets to increase growth, survival, condition, and fatty acid composition in moronid larvae. 2. Reduce on-farm mortalities to pathogens in HSB aquaculture. 2.A. Perform controlled challenges with white bass, striped bass, palmetto and sunshine hybrid striped bass to establish their susceptibility to emerging pathogens. 2.B. Detect genetic variation for resistance to disease in host. 2.C. Identification of Moronid Dermal Mucus Antimicrobial Peptides and Proteins. 2.D. Development of Natural Antimicrobials for Prophylaxis and Treatment of Bacterial Infections. 2.E. Develop methods for harmful algal bloom control. 3. Develop and implement technologies that enhance genetic improvement of HSB. 3.A. Create and release a first-generation white bass genome and transcriptome assembly. 3.B. Optimize a photo thermal manipulation protocol for offseason (fall) spawning of WB and create even/odd year class base populations for selective improvement of important production traits. 3.C. Identify phenotypic differences in WB for growth and utilization of plant protein- and plant oil-based diets and determine the genetic variation in protein, lipid and carbohydrate utilization for the identified traits. 3.D. Develop methods for the production of triploid HSB.

Approach:
Develop fish stocking and dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen management strategies for intensive production of hybrid striped bass utilizing both traditional and split-pond production systems; Optimize production of advanced hybrid striped bass fingerlings in biofloc technology production system; Determine the nutritional value of alternative ingredient mixes and supplemental exogenous enzymes for hybrid striped bass. Evaluate practical fishmeal-free and plant-based diets for hybrid striped bass performance and nutrient (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) retention in intensive production systems; Determine optimum feeding regime, live feed enrichment, and feasibility of microparticulate diets to increase growth, survival, condition, and fatty acid composition in moronid larvae; Determine optimum larval feeding regime for larval Morone using live feeds to increase growth, survival, and larval quality through metamorphosis; Determine the influence of live feed enrichment on growth, survival, condition, and fatty acid composition of Morone larvae; Determine the feasibility of replacing live feeds with formulated microparticulate diets from first feeding in moronid larvae; Perform controlled challenges with white bass, striped bass, palmetto and sunshine hybrid striped bass to establish their susceptibility to emerging pathogens; Detect genetic variation for resistance to disease in moronids. Identify microbial genes and pathways critical for pathogenesis in moronids; Identification of Moronid dermal mucus antimicrobial peptides and proteins; Development of natural antimicrobials for prophylaxis and treatment of bacterial infections; Develop methods for harmful algal bloom control; Create and release a first-generation white bass genome and transcriptome assembly; Optimize a photo thermal manipulation protocol for offseason (fall) spawning of white bass and create even/odd year class base populations for selective improvement of important production traits; Identify phenotypic differences in white bass for growth and utilization of plant protein- and plant oil-based diets and determine the genetic variation in protein, lipid and carbohydrate utilization for the identified traits; Develop methods for the production of triploid hybrid striped bass.