Genomic Approaches to Enhance Disease Resistance in Large Yellow Croaker: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives

Large yellow croaker is an important marine aquaculture species in China, but frequent disease outbreaks have led to significant losses in the aquaculture industry. Although traditional genetic selection methods have long been applied in fish breeding, an increasing number of studies are introducing genomic selection methods into large yellow croaker breeding to target complex traits such as disease resistance. Recent advancements in genomic resources, including an updated reference genome and SNP array, have opened up new opportunities for genetic and evolutionary research on this species. This review provides an overview of the current status of the large yellow croaker aquaculture industry and the existing approaches to addressing disease challenges. It also summarizes genomic selection techniques, the genetic mechanisms underlying disease resistance traits, and potential improvements in genomic selection methods. Furthermore, we summarize future directions for large yellow croaker breeding, incorporating the application of genetic research, multi-dimensional data integration, standardized testing protocols, and artificial intelligence for phenotypic measurement. These strategies have opened new pathways to enhance disease resistance in large yellow croaker and to promote the sustainable development of its aquaculture industry.