Fast and cost-efficient species identification of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), brown trout (Salmo trutta), and their hybrids using a single SNP marker

• Published in: Journal of Fish Biology
• Main Authors: Aykanat, Tutku, Balatsou, Athina, Kähkönen, Kirsi, Syrjänen, Jukka T., Janhunen, Matti, Leinonen, Tuomas, Prokkola, Jenni M., Norrgård, Johnny R., Piccolo, John J.
• Other Authors: orcid:0000-0002-3328-229X, orcid:0000-0003-2987-4417, orcid:0000-0002-5651-5287, 4100210310, 4100111210, Luonnonvarakeskus
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley & Sons
• Subjects: conservation genetics; diagnostic locus; hybridization; KASP SNP-assays; species identification; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://jukuri.luke.fi/handle/10024/555743; https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.16032

A workflow for developing a cost- and time-efficient, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based assay for species and hybrid identification is described. In a reference set (n = 46), the developed assay identified individuals of two closely related species, the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L., n = 23) and brown trout (Salmo trutta, n = 23), with 100% accuracy. Furthermore, species and hybrid identification using field-collected embryos had 98.1% concordance (155/158) to more expensive and time-consuming methods that utilized multiple SNP markers. The method can be integrated into management and conservation plans to quantify species' spawning distribution and hybridization rates. 2024