Genetic parameters for growth and survival traits of Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata) in tropical monsoon conditions at Long Son, Vung Tau
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Abstract
This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters for growth and survival traits in the Portuguese oyster (Crassostrea angulata) G1 breeding generation reared under monsoon tropical conditions at Long Son, Vung Tau. A total of 8,000 individuals from 80 families (44 full-sib and 36 half-sib) were evaluated for growth over 183 - 207 days. Genetic parameters were estimated using an individual linear mixed model implemented in ASReml 4.2. Heritability was moderate to high for growth traits (0.183 - 0.607) and moderate for survival (0.276). Strong positive genetic correlations (0.70 - 0.91) were observed among growth traits (body weight, shell height, shell length, and shell width), while weak negative correlations (-0.11 to -0.09; P > 0.05) were found between growth and survival. The mean estimated breeding value (EBV) of the selected group was 10.36 g for body weight, with selection responses of 19.83% for body weight and 35.27% for survival rate when traits were selected separately. These results demonstrate the clear potential for genetic improvement of Portuguese oyster traits under tropical monsoon conditions. The study also recommends expanding growth evaluations across multiple farming environments in southern Vietnam to estimate genotype × environment interactions, thereby supporting the development of a sustainable breeding program for C. angulata in the future.
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