Abstract
This paper describes the effect of triploidy on growth and reproductive endocrinology in the months leading up to and including spawning in rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri, and pink salmon,Oncorhynchus gorbuscha. Growth rates were the same for diploid and triploid rainbow trout, but triploid female pink salmon were smaller than maturing diploid females and diploid and triploid males of the same age. Triploid males of both species developed typical secondary sexual characteristics and had normal endocrine profiles, although their cycle appeared to be delayed by about one month. Triploid females remained silvery in appearance and showed no endocrine signs of maturation, even at the level of the pituitary. Thus, although triploids of both sexes are genetically sterile, only the females do not undergo physiological maturation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Allen, S.K., Jr. 1983. Flow cytometry: assaying experimental polyploid fish and shellfish. Aquaculture 33: 317–328.
Allen, S.K., Jr., Thiery, R.G. and Hagstrom, N.T. 1986. Cytological evaluation of the likelihood that triploid grass carp will reproduce. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 115: 841–848.
Benfey, T.J., Solar, I.I., de Jong, G. and Donaldson, E.M. 1986. Flow-cytometric confirmation of aneuploidy in sperm from triploid rainbow trout. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 115: 838–840.
Benfey, T.J., Donaldson, E.M. and Owen, T.G. 1988a. An homologous radioimmunoassay for coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) vitellogenin, with general applicability to other Pacific salmonids. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.: In press
Benfey, T.J., Dye, H.M. and Donaldson, E.M. 1988b. Estrogen-induced vitellogenin production by triploid cohosalmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and its effect on plasma and pituitary gonadotropin. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol.: In press.
Burton, D., Burton, M.P., Truscott, B., and Idler, D.R. 1985. Epidermal cellular proliferation and differentiation in sexually mature maleSalmo salar with androgen levels depressed by oil. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. Ser. B 225: 121–128.
Bye, V.J. and Lincoln, R.F. 1986. Commercial methods for the control of sexual maturation in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri R.). Aquaculture 57: 299–309.
Cassani, J.R. and Caton, W.E. 1986. Growth comparisons of diploid and triploid grass carp under varying conditions. Prog. Fish-Cult. 48: 184–187.
Cayrol, C., Garnier, D.H. and Deparis, P. 1985. Comparative plasma levels of androgens and 17β-estradiol in the diploid and triploid newt,Pleurodeles waltl. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 58: 342–346.
Chevassus, B., Quillet, E. and Chourrout, D. 1984. La production de truites steriles par voie genetique. Pisc. Fr. 78: 10–19.
Donaldson, E.M. 1986. The integrated development and application of controlled reproduction techniques in Pacifisalmonid aquaculture. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 2: 9–24.
Donaldson, E.M. and Benfey, T.J. 1987., Current status of induced sex manipulation.In: Proc. Third Int. Symp. Reprod. Physiol. Fish. pp. 108–119. Edited by D.R. Idler, L.W. Crim and J.M. Walsh, Memorial University Press, St. John's.
Donaldson, E.M., Fagerlund, U.H.M., Higgs, D.A. and McBride, J.R. 1979. Hormonal enhancement of growth.In Fish Physiology, Vol. VIII. pp. 455–497. Edited by W.S. Hoar, D.J. Randall and J.R. Brett. Academic Press, New York.
Dye, H.M., Sumpter, J.P., Fagerlund, U.H.M. and Donaldson, E.M. 1986. Changes in reproductive parameters during the spawning migration of pink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum). J. Fish Biol. 29:167–176.
Johnson, O.W., Dickhoff, W.W. and Utter, F.M. 1986. Comparative growth and development of diploid and triploid coho salmon,Oncorhynchus kisutch. Aquaculture 57:329–336.
Kah, O. 1986. Central regulation of reproduction in teleosts. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 2: 25–34.
Lincoln, R.F. 1981a. Sexual maturation in triploid male plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) and plaice x flounder (Platichthys flesus) hybrids. J. Fish Biol. 19: 415–426.
Lincoln, R.F. 1981b. The growth of female diploid and triploid plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) x flounder (Platichthys flesus) hybrids over one spawning season. Aquaculture 25: 259–268.
Lincoln, R.F. and Bye, V.J. 1987. Growth rates of diploid and triploid rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri R.) over the spawning season.In Proc. Third Int. Symp. Reprod. Physiol. Fish. p. 134. Edited by D.R. Idler, L.W. Crim and J.M. Walsh. Memorial University Press, St. John's.
Lincoln, R.F. and Scott, A.P. 1984. Sexual maturation in triploid rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri Richardson. J. Fish Biol. 25: 385–392.
Nakamura, M., Nagahama, Y., Iwahashi, M. and Kojima, M. 1987. Ovarian structure and plasma steroid hormones of triploid female rainbow trout. Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi 53: 1105.
Okada, H. 1985. Studies on the artifical sex control in rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri. Sci. Rep. Hokkaido Fish Hatchery 40: 1–49.
Peter, R.E. 1983. Neuroendocrine control of reproduction in teleosts. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 39: 48–55.
Pickering, A.D., Pottinger, T.G., Carragher, J. and Sumpter, J.P. 1987. The effects of acute and chronic stress on the levels of reproductive hormones in the plasma of mature male brown, trout,Salmo trutta L. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 68: 249–259.
Pottinger, T.G., and Pickering, A.D. 1985. Changes in skin structure associated with elevated androgen levels in maturing male brown trout,Salmo trutta L. J. Fish Biol. 26: 745–753.
Purdom, C.E. 1976. Genetic techniques in flatfish culture. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 33: 1088–1093.
Purdom, C.E. 1983. Genetic engineering by the manipulation of chromosomes. Aquaculture 33: 287–300.
Scott, A.P. 1987. Reproductive endocrinology of fish.In Fundamentals of Comparative Vertebrate Endocrinology. pp. 223–256. Edited by I. Chester-Jones, P.M. Ingleton and J.G. Phillips. Plenum Press, New York.
Scott, A.P. and Sumpter, J.P. 1983. The control of trout reproduction: basic and applied research on hormones.In Control Processes in Fish Physiology. pp. 200–220. Edited by J.C. Rankin, T.J. Pitcher and R.T. Duggan. Croom Helm, London.
Solar, I.I. and Donaldson, E.M. 1985. Studies on genetic and hormonal sex control in domesticated rainbow trout. I. The effect of heat shock treatment for induction of triploidy in cultured rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson). Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. No. 1379. 1–15.
Sumpter, J.P., Scott, A.P., Baynes, S.M. and Witthames, P.R. 1984. Early stages of the reproductive cycle in virgin female rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson). Aquaculture 43: 235–242.
Thorgaard, G.H. 1983. Chromosome set manipulation and sex control in fish.In Fish Physiology, Vol. IXB. pp. 405–434. Edited by W.S. Hoar, D.J. Randall and E.M. Donaldson. Academic Press, New York.
Thorgaard, G.H. and Gall, G.A.E. 1979. Adult triploids in a rainbow trout family. Genetics 93: 961–973.
Van Der Kraak, G., Dye, H.M. and Donaldson, E.M. 1984. Effects of LH-RH and des-Gly10[D-Ala6]LH-RH-ethylamide on plasma sex steroid profiles in adult female coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 55: 36–45.
Wolters, W.R., Libey, G.S. and Chrisman, C.L. 1982. Effect of triploidy on growth and gonad development of channel catfish. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 111: 102–105.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Reported in part at the Third International Symposium on Reproductive Physiology of Fish, St. John's, Newfoundland, August 2–7, 1987.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Benfey, T.J., Dye, H.M., Solar, I.I. et al. The growth and reproductive endocrinology of adult triploid Pacific salmonids. Fish Physiol Biochem 6, 113–120 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01875483
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01875483