Soft-shell turtle is one of the special breeding species that has developed rapidly in response to market demand after my country's reform and opening up. After nearly 40 years of breeding development, the output has increased from less than 1,000 tons per year in the 1980s. By 2012, 300,000 tons of soft-shell turtle farming has become an important way for rural farmers in my country to become rich and well-off. Since fine varieties are one of the elements for healthy soft-shell turtle breeding, soft-shell turtle germplasm has always received great attention from all parties in the industry. For this reason, I made some suggestions on the current situation and improvement of soft-shell turtle varieties in my country and discussed them with colleagues in the industry. 1. Introduction to the main soft-shell turtle species currently cultured in my country

The indigenous soft-shell turtle species in my country mainly include the Chinese soft-shell turtle, the Shanrui soft-shell turtle and the spotted soft-shell turtle. The latter two species are in small numbers, so they are listed as protected animals by the country, especially This is the spotted softshell turtle, which is as precious as the panda. Our country has also introduced several species from abroad. Through domestication, they have settled in our country and achieved certain breeding results. In order to let everyone understand the characteristics and differences of domestic and foreign soft-shell turtle species, a brief introduction is given.

(1) Chinese soft-shelled turtle

Chinese soft-shelled turtle is the main species currently farmed in my country. However, due to the vast territory of our country and the large latitude and climate differences between the north, south, and east, the different regions There are also some ecological and geographical strains among them, and the prices of their products in the market are also different due to different regional strains, and some even vary greatly.

1. Yellow River strain (Yellow River soft-shell turtle)

Mainly distributed in Gansu, Ningxia, Henan and Shandong in the Yellow River Basin, among which the soft-shell turtles from Henan, Ningxia and Shandong Yellow River Estuary are the most common. good. Due to the special natural environment and climatic conditions, the Yellow River soft-shell turtle has the characteristics of a large body, a wide skirt, and a yellowish body color. It is very popular in the market and its growth rate is similar to that of the Taihu soft-shell turtle.

2. Dongting Lake strain (Hunan soft-shelled turtle)

Mainly distributed in parts of Hunan, Hubei and Sichuan. Its body shape is basically the same as that of Jiangnan soft-shelled turtle, but there are no spots on the abdomen, especially In the turtle seedling stage, its abdominal body color is orange. It is also a valuable regional Chinese turtle strain in my country. Its growth and disease resistance are similar to those of the Taihu turtle.

3. Poyang Lake strain (Jiangxi soft-shelled turtle)

Mainly distributed in eastern Hubei and northern Jiangxi and Fujian areas. The adult shape is similar to that of Taihu soft-shelled turtle, but the abdomen of juvenile soft-shelled turtles is orange-red. It has no spots and its growth rate is similar to that of Taihu soft-shell turtle.

Others include black turtles, sand turtles, black turtles, small turtles, etc. Due to the small number of groups, they will not be described in detail.

(2) Varieties introduced from abroad

1. Japanese soft-shelled turtles

Japanese soft-shelled turtles are mainly distributed in Saga, Oita and Fukuoka in the south of Kanto, Japan. , there are also legends that the Japanese soft-shelled turtle currently introduced into our country was originally a Chinese soft-shelled turtle from the Taihu soft-shell turtle basin in my country that was introduced and bred from Japan (but there is no anthology report), so it is also called the Japanese Chinese soft-shelled turtle. It is currently designated as a Chinese soft-shelled turtle by the Ministry of Agriculture. Turtle (Japanese strain).

2. Pearl soft-shelled turtle (Florida soft-shelled turtle)

Florida soft-shelled turtle belongs to the genus Soft-shelled soft-shelled turtle of the subfamily Soft-shelled turtle of the family Soft-shelled turtle, also known as pearl soft-shelled turtle and American fish. It is distributed in the United States, but the main production area is mainly in Florida. In 1996, my country began to introduce breeding. The Florida soft-shelled turtle is beautiful in color, larger in size, and grows rapidly, but its meat is not as delicious when steamed as the Chinese soft-shelled turtle.

3. Thai soft-shell turtle

The body is oblong, plump and bulging, with a dark gray and smooth back, a milky white and reddish abdomen, a smooth neck without warts, and the most anterior part of the dorsal plastron. There is a hinge on the abdominal plate, and the dorsal armor is completely closed when it is upward. There are two half-moon-shaped movable cartilages on the inside of the hind limbs. The skirts are small, slow in movement, and do not bite. Adult turtles weighing more than 500 grams have a groove in the middle of the back. Its external body color is similar to that of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, but the pattern on its abdomen is dot-shaped, not lumpy. This kind of turtle grows fast and likes high temperatures, but its meat quality is poor and it matures early. It usually starts laying eggs at 400 grams. Therefore, it is most suitable to be directly raised into a turtle for sale under temperature control in a greenhouse. It is not suitable for breeding in the wild for many years in areas with large temperature differences. .

4. Spiny soft-shelled turtle

Also known as horned soft-shelled turtle, it is mainly distributed from the southernmost part of Canada to northern Mexico. The body is larger, with a body length of up to 45 cm. The snout is long and forms a snout. The carapace is oval-shaped, and there are spiny warts on the front edge of the back, so it is called spiny soft-shell turtle.

Introduced into my country at the beginning of the new century, it is also a large-scale variety, so the consumer targets are mainly hotels and restaurants. Due to market limitations, it should not be developed blindly. ?2. Recommendations

(1) Increase the protection of origins

Because soft-shell turtles have regional characteristics advantages, the protection of origin populations has become a top priority. Protection is not simply enclosure protection, but real efforts should be made to purify germplasm. For example, the germplasm of the Yellow River strain in Ningxia and Henan is purer than that in other regions. This may be related to the backward circulation in this region. Another example is the southwest strain (yellow sand turtle), which not only has certain growth advantages, but also has a thicker skirt that is more prominent than strains from other regions when it weighs more than 1,000 grams. The disadvantage is that the exposed ribs on the back obviously affect the sales appearance in some places. The stress resistance of the Taihu strain is the key to improving the survival rate of breeding. In particular, the facial makeup-like spots on its abdomen and back are the characteristic advantages of its population. Therefore, the flower turtle is deeply favored by local consumers in Zhejiang. Therefore, by purifying and selecting the best while protecting, the advantages will be more obvious.

(2) Do a good job in regional planning of seedlings

Industrial development is closely related to regional economic development. Likewise, the industrial development of high-end consumer goods such as soft-shell turtle is mainly in economically developed areas, such as At present, the main production and sales areas of soft-shell turtles in my country are mainly in East China, South China and Central China. According to incomplete statistics, the total output of soft-shell turtles in my country in 2009 was 200,800 tons, of which 68% were produced in these three regions. Therefore, species, one of the factors of industrial development, are The demand for seedlings is also mainly in these areas. At present, the national and local governments have built large-scale turtle breeding farms in these areas, but they should be strengthened to meet the current development needs, especially in some places where there are still random and indiscriminate constructions. phenomenon, and in some places, demolition has been reduced due to the needs of other local construction. Therefore, after doing a good job in researching the development trends of soft-shell turtle production and marketing in my country, it is very important to carry out long-term regional planning of soft-shell turtle seed bases in conjunction with the national economic development plan.

(3) Strengthen the selection of excellent germplasm

The selection and breeding of fine turtle species is an arduous and time-consuming basic project, especially the breeding work requires experienced personnel. Engineering and technical personnel, so it is difficult for ordinary enterprises to undertake it, and some research schools dare not aspire to do this work because they are slow to produce results and have to invest a lot of money. Therefore, the breeding of fine turtle varieties is almost blank in China. The author believes that it is indeed difficult to breed new varieties, but it is possible to use local indigenous varieties in various places to purify and select the best. For example, Zhejiang selected black turtles from the Taihu strain of mutant turtles to promote as a new strain. Guangxi has also selected ink turtles with better traits from local indigenous strains for promotion, and the results have been good. Soft-shell turtles are special creatures that have evolved since ancient times. Their growth and stress-resistance advantages are best achieved in their native habitats. Therefore, selecting local strains is the best way to improve the excellence of regional strains of Chinese soft-shell turtles. The author believes that it is best not to introduce foreign species for breeding, because that is not only risky and takes a long time, but also easily destroys the original ecological biodiversity. For example, after the Japanese softshell turtle was introduced to my country, it took more than ten years of domestication to reach the current breeding level. level, the price paid is very high.

(4) Dynamic management of improved breeding bases

It is necessary to carry out effective dynamic management of existing turtle breeding bases. Management can be carried out by provincial authorities, mainly Manage variety quality and yield flow, and conduct effective testing and inspection, especially the management of introduced varieties, should be strengthened. Specific management methods can be organized and formulated by relevant experts in accordance with relevant national laws and regulations and the specific conditions of each place. In this way, we can achieve good guidance and coordinated development. For example, Zhejiang Province has implemented dynamic supervision and inspection in terms of management. It first proposes rectification for those who are unqualified, and then takes management measures such as disqualification and removal of brands for those who are unqualified. The effect is very good