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Title: Evaluating the performance of selective-bred lines of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, at different locations along the east coast of the United States

Author
item BAO, KEHAN - University Of Rhode Island
item CORBETT, RYAN - University Of Rhode Island
item Proestou, Dina
item FRANK-LAWALE, ANU - Virginia Institute Of Marine Science
item GUO, XIMING - Rutgers University
item RAWSON, PAUL - University Of Maine
item ALLEN, STANDISYH - Virginia Institute Of Marine Science
item GOMEZ-CHIARRI, MARTA - University Of Rhode Island

Submitted to: Journal of Shellfish Research
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/10/2014
Publication Date: 8/1/2014
Citation: Bao, K., Corbett, R., Proestou, D.A., Frank-Lawale, A., Guo, X., Rawson, P., Allen, S., Gomez-Chiarri, M. 2014. Evaluating the performance of selective-bred lines of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, at different locations along the east coast of the United States. Journal of Shellfish Research. 33(2):589.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Populations of the economically important eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica have been severely affected in the last few decades by diseases such as Dermo, MSX, SSO, and ROD. As the demand for a fast-growing, disease-resistant oyster increases, so has the need for effective breeding programs that produce specific genetic lines that perform optimally in very diverse shellfish-growing environments. Six selectively-bred lines of C. virginica were deployed in five sites along the east coast of the US, from Virginia to Maine, in August 2012. Growth and survival were measured for 16 months and samples were collected in cases of high-mortality events for disease diagnosis and future genotyping. Line performance (yield) was mainly driven by survival. Strong genotype by environment interactions were observed: three of the northern lines (UMaine, NEH-RI, and Clinton) were significantly larger and had significantly higher survival rates than the southern lines (hANA and DEBY) in the Rhode Island sites, while the southern lines had a higher yield than the northern lines in the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay sites. In general, the NEH line performed well across all sites. Dermo and MSX were the most-likely causes of high mortality among the northern lines in the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay sites. More research needs to be done to identify what other diseases or environmental factors drove the site-specific performance of these lines at northern sites. These results suggest local adaptation of selectively-bred oyster lines to the site of origin and a need for the development of regional breeding programs.