The comparative study on growth characteristics of complete breeding and wild populations of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Abstract:

In order to compare the growth of the progenies of breeding population and wild population of Chinese mitten crab, cages were placed in ecological ponds to conduct Chinese mitten crab breeding experiment. Three treatments were designed based on different female parent sources and specifications. A treatment:the progenies of breeding population, female parent weight was (150.39±5.82)g, male parent weight was (300.23±9.61)g;B,C treatment:the progenies of wild population, female parent weight was (150.47±6.28) g and (250.33±8.68)g respectively, male parent weight was both (300.56±10.27)g. Each treatment had four replicates, each cage stocking 500 Chinese mitten crabs, camouflaged by aquatic weed and began to breed from the megalopa time, maintaining the same growth environment and appropriate growth. After 158 days of culture, A, B and C treatment weight increased by 1 273.00, 1 258.17 and 1 363.95 times respectively. C treatment index is the best treatment when growing into crab species. C treatment is significantly better than A and B treatments in weight, carapace length and carapace width (P<0.05). Treatment A survival rate is the highest, 1.40%and 3.00% higher than B and C treatments respectively. The comprehensive studies showed that the growth traits of wild large size female progenies were better than wild and breeding small size female progenies, and maternal effect existed. Breeding population can better adapt to the pond water culture environment than the wild populations.