Investigating the Genetic and Dietary Factors Influencing Foot Muscle Color and Growth in Haliotis gigantea

Abstract

Haliotis gigantea, a commercially cultivated abalone in China, predominantly displays the pale-yellow-footed trait. However, a limited occurrence of the orange-footed muscle trait makes it a valuable candidate for breeding programs. In our research, we examined the inheritance pattern of the orange-footed trait and conducted a 90-day feeding trial for H. gigantea to compare the influence of formulated feed and macroalgae on pigment enrichment and growth rates. Our results suggest that the orange-footed trait has a recessive nature relative to its common counterpart and demonstrates stable inheritance. We also identified a significant correlation between color-difference values (a*) and total carotenoid content (TCC) (R2 = 0.955, p < 0.05), suggesting the TCC in abalone foot muscle can be estimated using the a* value. Furthermore, introducing carotenoids to formulated feed imparts an orange hue to the foot muscle, but this effect is inferior compared to using Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis with a similar carotenoid content. This suggests that H. gigantea has a higher absorption efficiency for the carotenoids from the macroalgae G. lemaneiformis compared to formulated feed. Growth assessments indicate that the formulated feed, enriched with higher crude protein than G. lemaneiformis, optimally supports H. gigantea growth. Our findings furnish valuable insights that could steer breeding strategies and feeding practices towards achieving the orange-footed muscle trait in H. gigantea.