application of triploidy to an emergent...

Application of Triploidy to an Emergent Oyster

Culture Industry on Florida’s West Coast:

Results of Health Assessment

Nick Brandimarte and Dr. Susan

Laramore

Aquatic Animal Health Lab

Florida Atlantic University HBOI

Ft. Pierce, FL

Application of Triploidy to an Emergent Oyster

Culture Industry on Florida’s West Coast

OBJECTIVE:

1) Assess health of diploid

(2N) and triploid (3N) oysters

- site

- gear

females

Funded by:2015-2018

3N

2N

Methods

• Trial 1: Plant July/August 2016 / Harvest March/April 2017

• Trial 2: Plant March/April 2017 / Harvest October/November 2017

VARIABLES MEASURED:

Variables Reporting• Shell Metrics

– Shell height

– Shell length

– Shell width

• Weight Metrics – Total weight

– Meat weight (wet)

– Shell weight

• Prevalence of Pests and Parasites– Boring Sponge (Cliona sp.)

– Mudblisters (P. websteri)

– Cestodes and trematodes

– Dermo (P. marinus)

• Physiological Condition

• Digestive Tubule Atrophy

3% 3%

10%

0%

27%

0%

32%

0%

13%

7%

0% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Trial 1: Mudblisters (P. websteri)

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

30%

66%

60%

40%

73%

41%

83%

80%

17%

0%

7%

0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

Trial 2: Mudblisters (P. websteri)

Trial 1: Boring sponge (Cliona spp.)

30%

66%

0% 0% 0% 0%3%

15%

0%

10%

0% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

Trial 2: Boring sponge (Cliona spp.)

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

0% 0% 0% 0%

10%

0%

47%43%

100% 100%

63%67%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Trial 1: Prevalence of Dermo (P. marinus)

59%

41%

0% 0%

13%

40%

59%

41%

3%0% 0% 0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

Trial 2: Prevalence of Dermo (P. marinus)

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

0% 0%

17%

10% 10%

23%

60%

27%

50%

48%

0%

3% 3% 3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Trial 1:Physiological Condition

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

1.6

1.3

2.4

2.6

2.12

2.12.2

2.1

2.32.2

2.4

0

1

2

3

3

2

1

Trial 2:Physiological Condition

Bottom Cage Bottom CageFloating Bag Adjustable LL Floating Bag Floating Bag

1.9 1.92

2.4

2

2.2

1.9

2.2

2

2.3

2.1

2.3

0

1

2

3

3

2

1

Trial 1: Presence of food in the Gut and Sex Ratios

• A larger percentage of guts were full for oysters reared

using adjustable longline and floating bag gear

• Diploids and triploids had similar percentages food

present in the gut across sites

Presence of food in the gut

Sex ratios of diploids and triploids reared using on

and off bottom culture methods; red = females,

blue = males, grey = undifferentiated

Sex Ratios

A B

Conclusions

• Benefits derived from using triploids may be seen in the form of:

- improved digestive system health

- improved physiological condition for fall harvest

- increased size

- decreased prevalence and severity of mudworms

Take Home

- culture methods

- site to site variability (salinity

and temperature)

• Fall plant may

- reduce prevalence of mudblisters

- improve physiological condition

• The degree to which farmers can expect to benefit from using triploids oysters

is likely dependent on: 2N 3N

Acknowledgements

• All participating oyster growers

• Funding: NOAA National Sea Grant

• Graduate Committee

- Dr. John Scarpa, Dr. John Baldwin

and Dr. Paul Wills

• Support during sampling and processing

- Leslie Sturmer, Carter and Alfred

• Funding sources

- National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration and the Louisiana Sea Grant