Genetic diversity in tilapia populations in a freshwater reservoir assayed by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers

Journal Article

Publication Abstract

a b s t r a c t

Genetic variation in fish stocks decreasing due to water pollution in the freshwater rivers, streams and

canals. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity and polymorphism in

Oreochromis niloticus collected from the Wadi Hanefah Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by using RAPD-PCR. Total

thirty fish specimens were harvested from each of four pre-determined locations of the reservoir which

were designated as H1, H2, H3, and H4. Five random decamer primers were used to assess the diversity in

the stock of O. niloticus. In this fish stock 48 bands were polymorphic and 12 were monomorphic. The

maximum polymorphism (100%) was recorded in the fish samples procured from H4, followed by

88.75, 87.33 and 76.12% of the tilapia collected from H3, H2, and H4, respectively. Nei’s genetic distance

value was ranged as 0.0005 to 0.1006. Maximum and minimum genetic distance was recorded as 0.1006

and 0.005 in tilapia harvested from H1 and H2 locations. Average heterozygosity was ranged from 0.3009

to 0.3744. This information about the genetic polymorphism of O. niloticus may be used by the concerned

authorities to evolve strategies to conserve the diversity of tilapia in the country.