Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa
The global utilisation of Oreochromis spp. in freshwater aquaculture extends to South Africa. Here the native Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) has been proposed as a priority species for regional aquaculture projects, although it is still not preferred over the non-native O. niloticus. T...
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PeerJ Inc.
2025-04-01
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| author | Mahlatse Fortunate Mashaphu Gordon Craig O’Brien Colleen Thelma Downs Sandi Willows-Munro |
| author_facet | Mahlatse Fortunate Mashaphu Gordon Craig O’Brien Colleen Thelma Downs Sandi Willows-Munro |
| author_sort | Mahlatse Fortunate Mashaphu |
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| description | The global utilisation of Oreochromis spp. in freshwater aquaculture extends to South Africa. Here the native Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) has been proposed as a priority species for regional aquaculture projects, although it is still not preferred over the non-native O. niloticus. There is limited understanding of the genetic diversity, and genetic differentiation of farmed O. mossambicus in South Africa. Using a suite of 14 microsatellite markers, the present study aimed to determine the origin and genetic diversity of four farmed O. mossambicus populations in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces. Wild O. mossambicus from rivers surrounding the farms were included to trace the origin of farmed populations. Results revealed lower genetic diversity in farmed populations compared to wild populations. In particular, the University of Zululand population exhibited lower genetic diversity compared to the rest of the farmed populations. While most farmed populations closely resembled their local wild counterparts, the uMphafa ponds exhibited distinct genetic characteristics. Notably, some individuals from uMphafa shared genetic affinities with those from the Thukela River, suggesting that the Thukela River could be the source of this farmed population, or that farmed fish may have been introduced or escaped into the river. The study suggests that select farmed populations may have the potential for use in breeding and broodstock supplementation programs but emphasizes the importance of thorough genetic monitoring. However, before these populations can be considered for broodstock supplementation, further investigation is required to confirm their genetic integrity and rule out potential contamination from invasive species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-599e7f81a6744d72a03d3a8584daa5e6 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-599e7f81a6744d72a03d3a8584daa5e62025-08-20T03:18:46ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-04-0113e1887710.7717/peerj.18877Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South AfricaMahlatse Fortunate Mashaphu0Gordon Craig O’Brien1Colleen Thelma Downs2Sandi Willows-Munro3Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaGulbali Institute, Inland Fisheries Research Group, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, AustraliaCentre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaCentre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaThe global utilisation of Oreochromis spp. in freshwater aquaculture extends to South Africa. Here the native Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) has been proposed as a priority species for regional aquaculture projects, although it is still not preferred over the non-native O. niloticus. There is limited understanding of the genetic diversity, and genetic differentiation of farmed O. mossambicus in South Africa. Using a suite of 14 microsatellite markers, the present study aimed to determine the origin and genetic diversity of four farmed O. mossambicus populations in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces. Wild O. mossambicus from rivers surrounding the farms were included to trace the origin of farmed populations. Results revealed lower genetic diversity in farmed populations compared to wild populations. In particular, the University of Zululand population exhibited lower genetic diversity compared to the rest of the farmed populations. While most farmed populations closely resembled their local wild counterparts, the uMphafa ponds exhibited distinct genetic characteristics. Notably, some individuals from uMphafa shared genetic affinities with those from the Thukela River, suggesting that the Thukela River could be the source of this farmed population, or that farmed fish may have been introduced or escaped into the river. The study suggests that select farmed populations may have the potential for use in breeding and broodstock supplementation programs but emphasizes the importance of thorough genetic monitoring. However, before these populations can be considered for broodstock supplementation, further investigation is required to confirm their genetic integrity and rule out potential contamination from invasive species.https://peerj.com/articles/18877.pdfGenetics diversityOreochromisSouth AfricaAquacultureFarmed population |
| spellingShingle | Mahlatse Fortunate Mashaphu Gordon Craig O’Brien Colleen Thelma Downs Sandi Willows-Munro Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa PeerJ Genetics diversity Oreochromis South Africa Aquaculture Farmed population |
| title | Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa |
| title_full | Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa |
| title_short | Genetic assessment of farmed Oreochromis mossambicus populations in South Africa |
| title_sort | genetic assessment of farmed oreochromis mossambicus populations in south africa |
| topic | Genetics diversity Oreochromis South Africa Aquaculture Farmed population |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/18877.pdf |
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