Reproductive and Egg Incubation Parameters of F1 Homozygous Black-Skinned Backcross of Archachatina marginata Snails in Calabar

Abstract

Reproductive and egg incubation parameters of F1 homozygous black-skinned backcross of Archachatina marginata snails were evaluated. Twenty each of black and white-skinned snails used as parent snails in this study were generated from the black and white skinned snails acquired from the wild and mated to produce the first filial generation (F1). Forty of the F1 (heterozygotes) snails where hereafter mated back to the black-skinned (homozygote) parent snails to generate the F1 homozygote black-skinned backcrosses. The reproductive and egg incubation parameters of the backcrosses were determined and the outcome compared to both the purebred black skinned parent and F1 heterozygous black-skinned snails. The results showed a significant (p<0.05) difference in the mean reproductive and egg incubation parameters. The F1 heterozygotes recorded better clutch size, mean egg weight, percent hatchability, Hatchling shell length at hatch including others of 6.44, 1.46mm, 88.09% and 1.39mm, respectively while the Black skinned homozygote parent recorded 6.00, 1.38mm, 77.72% and 1.24mm, respectively for the same parameters. The mid-point values of 6.11, 1.37mm, 83.65% and 1.28mm respectively, on the parameters in the backcrosses indicated the occurrence of positive hybrid vigour. The results confirmed improvement prospects on the reproductive and egg incubation performance of the F1 homozygous black-skinned backcrosses compared to the parents. The results of this study further established the possibility of improving the performance of snails to produce a hybrid snail that can meet the expectations of farmers through cross breeding.