SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: WERA_OLD99 : Broodstock Management, Genetics and Breeding Programs for Molluscan Shellfish
- Period Covered: 05/01/2003 to 04/01/2004
- Date of Report: 04/05/2004
- Annual Meeting Dates: 02/29/2004 to 03/01/2004
Participants
Ristow,Sandra(Ristow@wsu.edu)-Washington State University; Reece,Kimberly(kreece@vims.edu)-Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Camara,Mark(Mark.Camara@oregonstate.edu)-USDA-ARS; Evans,Ford(ford.evans@oregonstate.edu)-Oregon State University; King,Nick(Nick.King@cawthron.org.nz)-Cawthron; Dewey,Bill(billd@taylorshellfish.com)-Taylor Shellfish Company; Cudd,Sue(suecudd@aol.com)-Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery; Thompson,Peter(peter.a.Thompson@csiro.au)-CSIRO Australia; Wikfors,Gary A.(Gary.Wikfors@noaa.gov)-NOAA fisheries; Langdon,Chris(Chris.Langdon@oregonstate.edu)-Oregon State University; Samain,Jean Francois(jfsamain@ifremer.fr)-IFREMER, France; Boudry,Pierre(Pierre.boudry@ifremer.fr,)-IFREMER, France; Guo,Ximing(xguo@hsrl.rutgers.edu)-Rutgers University; Davis,Chris(cdavis@midcoast.com)-Penaquid Oyster Co.-University of Maine; Cheney,Dan(cheney@pacshell.org)-Pacific Shellfish Institute; Huvet,Armand(ahuvet@ifremer.fr)-IFREMER, France; Davis,Joth(jdavis@mindspring.com)(Tayloresearch@yahoo.com)-Taylor Shellfish; Rawson,Paul(prawson@maine.edu)-University of Maine; Elston,Ralph(Ralph@aquatechnics.com)-Aquatechnics
[Minutes]
Accomplishments
The selective breeding program at The University of Maine produced seed oysters for three improved stocks of the eastern oyster (Rutgers NEH line, University of Maine Flowers Select, and Frank M. Flowers JOD resistant lines). The seed oysters were deployed at cold-water sites throughout coastal Maine in August of 2003 and the site-specific relative growth, survival and yield for each line is being monitored until the fall of 2005. This project in Maine mirrors a similar project that Dr. Ximing Guo presented at WCC-099 meetings for the past several years. Dr. Guo has been monitoring the performance of these lines in southern New England where water temperatures are warmer and the diseases MSX and Dermo are more prevalent than in Maine. Because the grow-out conditions in Maine are typically much colder than in southern New England we look forward to comparing the final datasets.
The Guo lab at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University, is also focusing on the genetic improvement of the Eastern Oyster. The Rutgers disease-resistant strain was crossed with the Frank M. Flowers fast-growing variety, and the resulting hybrids provided the highest yield exhibiting a combination of disease-resistance and superior growth.
All-triploid eastern oysters were produced from Rutgers disease-resistant strains using tetraploids. Triploidy is expected to enhance the growth rate of the Rutgers disease-resistant stock. The triploids are now being evaluated in the field. Work is ongoing on the mapping of disease-resistance genes in the eastern oyster.
In the Langdon laboratory, a collaborative experiment with French colleagues was carried out in which the effect of diet composition on the immune response of Pacific Oysters was determined. The project involved university researchers in Oregon, Virginia and IFREMER, Brest, France. All researchers were participants in WCC-99.
The Molluscan Broodstock Program benefited from comments made at last year?s WCC-99 meeting and resulted in development of a rotational breeding program to reduce inbreeding depression. This breeding program has been established and will be evaluated again next year.
Molecular work is underway at VIMS and Rutgers to develop various RFLP, AFLP and microsatellites to distinguish oyster species from one another. Three putative QTLs have been identified which are associated with disease resistance.
For more detail on these and other accomplishments, please refer to the Minutes of the February 29, 2004, meeting of WCC-099, found associated with this document on NIMMS.
The Guo lab at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, Rutgers University, is also focusing on the genetic improvement of the Eastern Oyster. The Rutgers disease-resistant strain was crossed with the Frank M. Flowers fast-growing variety, and the resulting hybrids provided the highest yield exhibiting a combination of disease-resistance and superior growth.
All-triploid eastern oysters were produced from Rutgers disease-resistant strains using tetraploids. Triploidy is expected to enhance the growth rate of the Rutgers disease-resistant stock. The triploids are now being evaluated in the field. Work is ongoing on the mapping of disease-resistance genes in the eastern oyster.
In the Langdon laboratory, a collaborative experiment with French colleagues was carried out in which the effect of diet composition on the immune response of Pacific Oysters was determined. The project involved university researchers in Oregon, Virginia and IFREMER, Brest, France. All researchers were participants in WCC-99.
The Molluscan Broodstock Program benefited from comments made at last year?s WCC-99 meeting and resulted in development of a rotational breeding program to reduce inbreeding depression. This breeding program has been established and will be evaluated again next year.
Molecular work is underway at VIMS and Rutgers to develop various RFLP, AFLP and microsatellites to distinguish oyster species from one another. Three putative QTLs have been identified which are associated with disease resistance.
For more detail on these and other accomplishments, please refer to the Minutes of the February 29, 2004, meeting of WCC-099, found associated with this document on NIMMS.
Impacts
- WCC-99 continues to be a very important forum for interaction and exchange of ideas among a wide range of shellfish geneticists from the US and abroad. Researchers from breeding programs in France, Australia and New Zealand are active participants. We also have strong input from researchers on the East Coast involved in restoration of the Eastern oyster in the Chesapeake Bay.
- Participation in WCC-099 has had a direct impact on the research conducted on oyster culture in Maine. It has allowed the building of collaborations with selective breeding programs in other states and to map out approaches for improving the genetic resources available to the oyster research community, approaches that will significantly benefit not only research in Maine but the research in other states, as well.
Publications
Li,L. and X. Guo. 2004. AFLP-based genetic linkage maps of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas Thunberg. Marine Biotechnology 6:26-36;
Jackson, D.L., B.W. MacDonald, B. Vercaemer, X. Guo, A. Mallet and E.L. Kenchinton. 2003. Investigations with Triploid Atlantic Sea Scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 2000-2003. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2460: v+ 48p.;
Guo, X. S.E. Ford, G. DeBrosse, R. Smolowitz and I. Sunila. 2003. Breeding and evaluation of eastern oyster strains selected for MSX, Dermo and JOD resistance. J. Shellfish Res., 22(1):333-334.
Wang, Y. and X. Guo. 2003. Chromosomal mapping of ribosomal RNA genes and telomeric repeats in zhikong and bay scallops. J. Shellfish Res., 22(1):360.
Langdon, C.J., Evans, F., Jacobson, D. and Blouin, M. 2003, Yields of cultured Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas Thunberg improved after one generation of selection. Aquaculture, 220:227-244.
Brake, J., F. Evans and C. Langdon. 2003. Evidence for genetic control of pigmentation of shell and mantle edge in selected families of Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas. Aquaculture, 229:89-98.
Brake, J. F. Evans and C. Langdon. 2003. Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Development of a simple method to describe desirable shell shape for the Pacific oyster industry. J. Shellfish Research, 22:767-771.
Evans, F., S. Matson, J. Brake and C. Langdon. 2003. The effects of inbreeding on performance traits of adult Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Aquaculture, 230:89-98.
Rawson, P.D., A. McGowen, and C. Bartlett. 2004. Temporal Variation in the Settlement of Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis C. Linnaeus, 1758 and M. trossulus Gould 1850) in Eastern Maine. Journal of Shellfish Research, (in press).
Jackson, D.L., B.W. MacDonald, B. Vercaemer, X. Guo, A. Mallet and E.L. Kenchinton. 2003. Investigations with Triploid Atlantic Sea Scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 2000-2003. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2460: v+ 48p.;
Guo, X. S.E. Ford, G. DeBrosse, R. Smolowitz and I. Sunila. 2003. Breeding and evaluation of eastern oyster strains selected for MSX, Dermo and JOD resistance. J. Shellfish Res., 22(1):333-334.
Wang, Y. and X. Guo. 2003. Chromosomal mapping of ribosomal RNA genes and telomeric repeats in zhikong and bay scallops. J. Shellfish Res., 22(1):360.
Langdon, C.J., Evans, F., Jacobson, D. and Blouin, M. 2003, Yields of cultured Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas Thunberg improved after one generation of selection. Aquaculture, 220:227-244.
Brake, J., F. Evans and C. Langdon. 2003. Evidence for genetic control of pigmentation of shell and mantle edge in selected families of Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas. Aquaculture, 229:89-98.
Brake, J. F. Evans and C. Langdon. 2003. Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? Development of a simple method to describe desirable shell shape for the Pacific oyster industry. J. Shellfish Research, 22:767-771.
Evans, F., S. Matson, J. Brake and C. Langdon. 2003. The effects of inbreeding on performance traits of adult Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas). Aquaculture, 230:89-98.
Rawson, P.D., A. McGowen, and C. Bartlett. 2004. Temporal Variation in the Settlement of Blue Mussels (Mytilus edulis C. Linnaeus, 1758 and M. trossulus Gould 1850) in Eastern Maine. Journal of Shellfish Research, (in press).