A team of researchers from the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA), Chennai, have successfully sequenced the genome of the goldlined seabream, Rhabdosargus sarba, known locally as Matti Vaayan in Tamil. It is one of the commonly preferred food fishes with high domestic market demand in India. Being a euryhaline species, goldlined seabream has a potential for farming both in wide range of salinities under different production systems, the ponds and cages.
The availability of this high-quality reference level genome of goldlined seabream is a significant achievement in advancing the understanding of this fish species in all aspects. It helps in paving the way for future studies on biological characteristics, selective breeding programmes, broodstock management, ecological interactions, and adaptive evolution. Dr. Kuldeep K Lal, Director of ICAR-CIBA said the sequenced genome of the goldlined seabream would help the scientists in providing valuable insights into its potential growth, reproduction, and metabolism.
This genome is an excellent resource for future research on genetic improvement and breeding of goldlined seabream to refine its aquaculture methodologies that would enhance its productivity and sustainability. Distinguished by its characteristic golden stripes, the fish is known for its high-quality premium white meat, priced at INR 500–600 per kilogram and is a potential candidate for expanding aquaculture sector in India.
The research team, for decoding the whole genome of the fish was led by Head of the Department and Principal Scientist Dr. M. S.Shekhar, and included Dr. Vinaya Kumar Katneni , Dr. Ashok Kumar Jangam, Dr. Raymond and Dr. Kuldeep K. Lal.