ICAR-CIBA scientists have genetically decoded the Indian white P. indicus variety of shrimp to allow farming the shrimp for the export market.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Aquaculture scientists have decoded the genome of an indigenous variety of white shrimp P. indicus that won’t solely make India self-reliant but in addition enhance the nation’s export revenue.
India’s seafood exports are estimated at ₹42,000 crore and the farming sector depends on an unique, genetically improved imported Pacific white shrimp known as Vannamei. Globally, this variety is the dominant species used for export.
Farmed shrimp contribute to as a lot as 70% of the nation’s sea meals export market. The mom shrimp, P. Vannamei is imported and cultivated on farms after which, exported. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, ₹25.04 crore has been allotted within the first section to establish an Indian shrimp variety that may be genetically improved. A complete of ₹100 crore has been allotted for the challenge.
“It is to break this single species dependence and to promote our indigenous species vis-à-vis exotic species for the benefit of Indian shrimp industry and shrimp farmers, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute for Brackishwater Aquaculture(ICAR-CIBA) has taken Indian white shrimp, P. indicus as a national priority species under the Make in India flagship programme” stated Kuldeep Kumar Lal, the Director, CIBA, Chennai.
CIBA decoded the entire genome of the shrimp species, a primary of its sort achievement and a elementary step in genetic choice of native shrimp, stated IBA’s principal scientist Akshaya Panigrahi.
Doubling productiveness
“It has been demonstrated nationwide that P. indicus is a potential species with a production of 3-7 tons / hectare / crop at moderate stocking density, even prior to domestication. This genetic improvement programme can lead to a genetic gain of 4-7% per generation, thus ensuring a doubling in productivity and improved feed conversion efficiency and increased profitability for the farmer,” he defined.
The new species would make India a pioneer in elevating a father or mother inventory of selectively bred Indian white shrimp and supplying to the world, added Dr. Panigrahi, the principal investigator of the challenge.
The scientists say the potential of the genetically improved shrimp pressure would enhance incrementally with the adoption of fashionable sensible farming methods. “We have created a nuclear breeding centre and all the scientific back up required for genetic selection has been completed. We have mapped the genetic parameters of shrimps from across the world,” he added.
The want for self-reliance was enhanced when through the COVID-19 pandemic when the fish farmers couldn’t entry mom shrimp to farm, which affected their livelihood.
