GENETIC VARIATION IN GROWTH IN ATLANTIC SALMON WHEN FED CONVENTIONAL AND INNOVATIVE DIETS

Genotype-by-environment interaction (GxE) is a measure of the magnitude of re-ranking of genotypes across environments. Significant GxE creates discrepancy between the expected and realized performance when the selected genetic material from the breeding nucleus is reared in divergent environmental conditions in commercial aquaculture. Estimates of GxE are lacking for many economically important traits (Sae-Lim et al., 2015) and need to be assessed to enable optimization of breeding programs towards development of robust genetic material for future conditions. Use of alternative raw materials in fish feed formulation is prompted by many regulatory, climatic and societal factors to guarantee future sustainable European aquaculture (Skiba et al., 2015). This brings upon a need to assess whether there is significant genotypeby-feed interaction; breeding companies are dependent on the assessment whether their current genetic material can express the production potential when alternative feed sources are utilized. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters of growth in Atlantic salmon when fed with conventional and innovative diets.