On-farm and on-station comparison of wild and domesticated Cameroonian populations of Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

Wild (Sanaga River) and domesticated populations of Oreochromis niloticus were compared on-farm and on-station in the Central Province of Cameroon to determine the degree to which genetic deterioration of stocks may have occurred during the process of domestication and subsequent breeding. On-station, average weight at harvest was 284.3±16.2 and 178.1±9.9 g for Sanaga and domesticated populations, respectively. On-station specific growth rate was 0.0660±0.0022 and 0.0555±0.0016 g/day for Sanaga and domesticated populations, respectively. On-station standing stock at harvest was 5747.3±624.4 and 4170.3±233.4 kg/ha for Sanaga and domesticated populations, respectively. Differences in average weight at harvest and specific growth rate on-station are significant at P<0.003. Differences in standing stock at harvest on-station are significant at P<0.015. On-farm, average weight at harvest was 121.1±26.5 and 87.5±17.2 g for Sanaga and domesticated populations, respectively. On-farm specific growth rate was 0.0442±0.0057 and 0.0358±0.0047 g/day for Sanaga and domesticated populations, respectively. On-farm standing stock at harvest was 2454.2±445.6 and 1667.8±352.2 kg/ha for Sanaga and domesticated populations, respectively. Differences in average weight at harvest on-farm are significant at P<0.05. Differences in specific growth rate on-farm are significant at P<0.04. Differences in standing stock at harvest on-farm are significant at P<0.015. The Sanaga River population consistently out-performed the domesticated population. Final individual weight of domesticated fish averaged 39% less than wild fish on-station and 42% less than wild fish on-farm.