Crossbreeding channel catfish for improvement of body weight in earthen ponds

Twelve experiments on intraspecific crossbreeding of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, for improvement of body weight are compared and reviewed. Crossbred fingerlings resulting from matings of unrelated F1 crossbred populations did not show heterotic growth. Crossbreds resulting from pure strain P1 showed an average increase of 10.3 percent in growth above the fastest growing parent strain. Marion female X Kansas male, a crossbred from two rapidly growing domestic strains, was the fastest growing to fingerling size. Average increase in body weight (fingerling to harvest size) by crossbreds was 1.5 percent greater than the fastest growing parent strain. Marion X Kansas, Auburn X Kansas, and Auburn X Uvalde were the fastest growing crossbreds to harvest size (8-13 percent increase in growth rate). Six of nine crossbreds made from Pi generations expressed heterosis above both parent strains for body weight. Eight of nine crossbreds grew better than at least one of their parents. Reciprocal crossbreds did not grow at the same rate. Males and females of a specific strain had different combining abilities with other strains. There was a maternal effect for combining ability. All crossbreds made with Auburn females exhibited heterosis.