Development of Genetics-based Selective Breeding Protocols for Improvement of the Mediterranean Mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and Advancement of Aquaculture

The aquaculture industry lags in genetically based selective breeding programs when compared to terrestrial commercial crops. This aggravates the United States’ (U.S.) $11 billion dollar seafood deficit, puts U.S. aquaculture entrepreneurs at an early disadvantage for success, and increases risk of bivalve crop degradation from climate change. Heterosis in bivalve crops, the phenomenon in which hybrid offspring exhibit enhanced traits compared to parental trait values, has been documented in scientific literature, but studies still remain scant and rarely address the genetic components of selection from breeding. To address this gap, Catalina Sea Ranch, LLC (CSR) will develop a novel family line system within the emerging model organism Mytilus galloprovincialis, which will be used to generate the framework for a genetics based selective breeding protocol. Within this framework, there are 2 main goals for Phase II of SBIR funding: 1) to further develop family line resources in order to have the statistical power to identify specific genes responsible for commercial traits from Phase I; 2) to develop selective breeding protocols based on emerging techniques such as RNA interference and gene counting techniques in order to assess crop value at the earliest possible stages.