Study on biological characteristics and excellent characters of Baling Tieshan organic bighead carp

Baling Tieshan Reservoir is one of the important artificial inland lakes in Hunan Province, with abundant aquatic resources, including high-quality fish species such as organic bighead carp. In order to further utilize the resource advantages of Baling Tieshan Reservoir and create a high-quality brand, this experiment analysis the biological characteristics and excellent traits of Baling Tieshan organic bighead carp (BTOBC) through techniques such as gene cloning, qRT-PCR, and paraffin section, and provides experimental basis for improving the quality of BOTBC. Pond-cultured bighead carp (PCBC) was used as a control for comparison. The findings reveal that BTOBC exhibits excellent traits in terms of body color, body shape and meat quality, which better meets the market and consumers' demands. Analysis of muscle nutrient composition and observation of muscle fiber histomorphology demonstrate a higher muscle fat proportion, and umami amino acid (AA) content, higher muscle fiber density, enhanced taste in BTOBC. Blood index and liver histology observation indicate that BTOBC has relatively healthier physiological conditions. mRNA expression detection of umami taste receptor genes T1r1 and T1r3 in various tissues shows that the meat of BTOBC has a more delicious taste. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the nutritional characteristics of BTOBC and explores its excellent traits, which can serve as a reference for subsequent processing, comprehensive utilization, and healthy breeding in the reservoir area. Moreover, it offers a scientific basis for the rational use of reservoir resources and the sustainable development of reservoir fisheries.