Abstract

Under captive conditions of ponds, reservoirs and other stagnant aquatic bodies in Indian peninsula, the major carps viz. - Catla catla (Ham) and Labeo rohita (Ham) have their unique and equal importance contributing lion shares to freshwater aquaculture. With an intention to improve the genetic architecture of these carps, their backcross generations were developed in Central Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair, South Andaman to establish some of the desired morphometric characters such as small and narrow head of rohu as well as deep, broad body of catla in their backcross progenies using the technique of induce breeding. To reveal the hereditary trend, the esterase profile was developed and the isozyme marker indicated more genetic proximity of backcross progenies with rohu than catla.