**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** CURRENTLY, METHODS USED TO DETERMINE SEX IN AQUACULTURED RUSSIAN STURGEONS (ACIPENSER GUELDENSTAEDTII) ARE LABORIOUS AND APPLICABLE ONLY FOR OLDER FISH (5-6+ YEARS OLD) DUE TO SLOW REPRODUCTIVE ORGAN MATURITY. VALUE OF ITS CAVIAR IS HIGH (UP TO $2,000 PER FEMALE FISH) AND THUS THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE EFFICIENT CAVIAR PRODUCTION PROCESS. A SOLUTION WOULD ALLOW RUSSIAN STURGEON FARMERS TO RAISE MONOSEX CAVIAR-PRODUCING POPULATIONS FROM EARLY ON, RESULTING IN INCREASED CAVIAR PRODUCTION. WE PROPOSE A COMPARISON OF 2 POTENTIAL DNA-BASED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS USING 2 DIFFERENT PRIMER SETS AND TO APPLY THE MOST RELIABLE VERSION IN ACTUAL FIELD CONDITIONS AT THE STURGEON FARM. THE MAIN GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A RAPID (8-10 H), NON-INVASIVE (SWAB DNA COLLECTION), AND COST-EFFECTIVE ($7-10 REAGENT COST/FISH) DNA-BASED TEST THAT WILL ALLOW SEX DETERMINATION OF JUVENILE (≤2 MONTH OLD) RUSSIAN STURGEONS. SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WOULD ALLOW U.S. STURGEON FARMERS TO POTENTIALLY DOUBLE THEIR CAVIAR PRODUCTION AND ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF THE UNITED STATES AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY TO CONTRIBUTE TO DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. ADDITIONALLY, SUCCESSFUL VALIDATION OF OUR PROPOSED METHODOLOGY WOULD OPEN UP APPLICATION OPPORTUNITIES TO OTHER SPECIES OF STURGEON FOR PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION PURPOSES.

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

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