Selective breeding programme of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in Serbia: Preliminary results

The aim of this study was to estimate heritability and genetic correlations between weight, length and height of common carp in Serbia (Cyprinus carpio L.) during 3-year growth period. The 50 families of common carp were produced in 2007 and used for the estimation of genetic parameters. The fish were measured at tagging for weight, length and height (W0, L0, H0), then during the first autumn (W1, L1, H1) and during the second autumn (W2, L2, H2). Based on univariate models heritability estimates were high for all traits (0.39, 0.34 and 0.45 for W1, L1 and H1, respectively) and also for the second production year (0.49, 0.47 and 0.44 for W2, L2 and H2, respectively). The genetic correlations were estimated using multivariate models and they were high between W1 and L1 and H1 (0.81 ± 0.06 and 0.91 ± 0.03 for L1 and H1, respectively), while between H1 and L1 were moderately correlated (0.54 ± 0.12). In the second production year genetic correlations were also high, between W2 and L2 and H2 (0.64 ± 0.09 and 0.74 ± 0.06, respectively), while between length and height they were lower (0.24 ± 0.15). Based on the current results improving growth rate of common carp through genetic selection is expected to be effective.