Selective breeding for disease resistance and fast growth in Sydney rock oysters

Nell, J.A., 2003. Selective breeding for disease resistance and fast growth in Sydney rock oysters. Final Report to Fisheries Research & Development Corporation. Project No. 1996/357. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series No. 49. ISSN 1442-0147. 44pp.

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Non Technical Summary

The Fisheries Research and Development Corporation financially supported the Sydney Rock Oyster breeding program from January 1997 - June 2002. All objectives of the study were met.

After two generations of selection for QX disease resistance in Georges River, NSW, mortality among progeny from the most improved breeding lines was 22% less than for non-selected oysters. These oysters were also 21% heavier on average than the control group. Unfortunately, however, because of the overwhelming effect of mortality from QX disease, any improvement in resistance to the winter mortality disease was masked. It is expected that selection for resistance to winter mortality can be just as successful as that for QX disease.

Selection for fast growth has also been very successful. The results showed that the triploids produced from oysters selected for three generations for fast growth reached market size (50-g whole weight) 9 months earlier than non-selected diploid oyster.