Estimates of combining ability and heterosis for growth traits in a full diallel cross of three strains of common carp, Cyprinus carpio L.

We attempted to determine the combining ability and heterosis of body weight by performing 3 × 3 complete diallel crosses derived by crossing three common carps (Cyprinus carpio var. jian, Cyprinus carpio haematopterus Temminck et Schlegel and Cyprinus carpio haematopterus). In total, 1650 fish were tagged when they were 1.5 months of age. After five months, Jian carp (♂) × Huanghe carp (♀) attained greater weight than pure and other hybrids. By crossing with Jian, Huanghe and Heilongjiang carps have improved body weight compared to their purebred. Significant principal components (PCs) were generated from growth performance data and their statistical loadings. The first principal component had the highest Eigen value of 2.81 and accounted for 70.31% of the variability in the data set. Two crosses, Jian carp (♂) × Huanghe carp (♀) and Huanghe carp (♂) × Jian carp (♀) showed high SCA with regard to body weight. Both Heilongjiang carp (♂) × Jian carp (♀) and Heilongjiang carp (♂) × Huanghe carp (♀) had higher heterosis compared to their purebreds. Significant positive phenotypic correlations were also observed between body weight and body length, thickness and height. The aforementioned results listed were identified as the foundation for common carp selective breeding programs.Keywords: Common carp, cross-breeding, heterosisAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(22), pp. 3514-352