Top-crossing with paternal inheritance testing of common carp ( Cyprinus carpio L.) progeny under two altitude conditions

Abstract

Weight, survival and heterosis were tested in hybrids by means of top-crossing at low and high altitudes (350 and 750 m, respectively) above the sea level. A Hungarian mirror carp strain (HSM) was chosen for testing as a maternal strain. The HSM, a wild Amur carp strain (AC), Ropsha carp strain (ROP) and Tata carp strain (TAT) were used as the paternal strains. The first season of the top-crossing test was performed by means of separate rearing of each group of fry with controls in four ponds at each altitude. In the second and third seasons, up to 3-year-old carp were grown in communal stocks for all groups in three ponds at each altitude. The highest significant corrected weight gain and survival in low and high altitudes during three seasons were obtained with the HSM×ROP and HSM×AC crossbreds. The lowest significant corrected weights were obtained with the HSM×TAT crossbred and HSM purebred, respectively. The highest significant heterosis effect both at low and high altitudes was obtained for both HSM×ROP and HSM×AC crossbreds compared to the HSM×TAT crossbred as predicted from the genetic distances between the strains. Moreover, the HSM×ROP crossbred was best adapted for altitude, regions or management in pond stations.