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¹ Khulna University, Fisheries and Marine Resource Technology Discipline, , Khulna-9208, Bangladesh
² Jessore University of Science and Technology, Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Jessore, Bangladesh
³ University of Greenwich, Department of Life and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Central Avenue, Medway ME4 4TB, Kent, United Kingdom DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v17_6_09 Viewed : 6630 - Downloaded : 3653 Labeo rohita is an important commercial aquaculture species in Bangladesh, but it needs improved growth performance to meet the increasing demand for fish. Genetic improvement through inter-strain crossing, generating heterosis, is quicker than a selection strategy. Therefore, crosses were made between two strains of rohu: Padma River strain and a hatchery strain. Growth performance analyis showed the highest growth rate in the Padma × Padma cross followed by one of the reciprocal crosses Hatchery♂ × Padma♀ (hybrid). The lowest growth rate was observed in Hatchery × Hatchery cross. DNA variability study using three microsatellite markers showed polymorphism (P95) in these crosses. Variations were observed in number and frequencies of alleles and mean heterozygosity in different loci; the mean number of alleles varied from 4.667±0.882, 3.333±1.333 and 2.667±1.202 in Padma, hybrid and Hatchery strains respectively. Relatively high levels of gene flow and low Strain differentiation (F_ST ) values were found between the Padma and hybrid strains. The UPGMA dendrogram based on genetic distance placed the Padma population in one cluster and the hybrid and Hatchery populations in another. The results revealed that there was relatively low level of genetic variability in the riverine and hatchery reared populations of L. rohita in Bangladesh. Keywords : Carp, rohu, strain-crossing, hybrid, heterosis, microsatellite