Population genetics and stock improvement

For the effective management of wild populations of pearl oysters, and their subsequent commercial exploitation through aquaculture, it is important to have both a sound appreciation of how genes are exchanged between populations and how genetic diversity is maintained or lost. Also required is knowledge of the underlying genetic basis behind the phenotypic expression of important traits. There has been a relative paucity of information on the genetics of pearl oysters compared to other important aquaculture groups. There are few examples where genetic techniques have been applied to increase aquaculture productivity. However, over the last decade there has been increased effort to acquire essential genetic information necessary to manage and exploit pearl oyster populations. This chapter summarizes current knowledge of the population genetics of pearl oysters, updates our understanding of the quantitative genetic basis of commercially important traits and highlights the application of emerging technologies to this group of bivalves