BAIGGER BARRA FASTER

摘要

Scientists at Australia's James Cook University (JCU) in Queensland are optimistic that there is a way to identify which barramundi (Lates calcarifer) can grow the biggest - fastest.A program targeted at getting barramundi onto the plate quickly and cheaply prompted a study to see which barramundi parents produce the fastest growing fingerlings — a benefit to both industry and consumer.The researchers, working alongside Dr Jose Domingos from JCU s Centre for Tropical Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture (CTSFA) in Townsville, have identified fundamental cellular processes that are indicative of fast growth.JCU researchers used genetic techniques to look at the ratio of RNA (an indicator of cell growth) to DNA in the barramundi babies."We have shown that offspring with the highest RNA:DNA ratio will have the fastest long-term growth through to harvest size," he said. "We can now take fish larvae at 18 days old and tell the farmer