Heritability estimates for shell color-related traits in the golden shell strain of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) using a molecular pedigree

The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is an important aquatic animal species with enormous production and economic benefits, but heritability estimation for shell color applying mixed-family approach and computer vision system has not been performed. In this study, heritability for shell color-related traits was estimated in the golden shell strain of Pacific oyster by fostering a single cohort of 30 families in a nested mating design consisting of 10 sires and 30 dams. After parentage assignment inference based on six microsatellite markers, 690 offspring were included in the subsequent analyses. Using an animal model, at 16 months of age, heritability estimates were 0.10 ± 0.12 for L⁎, 0.41 ± 0.16 for a⁎, 0.23 ± 0.15 for b⁎and 0.33 ± 0.19 for ΔE. Genetic correlation between shell color-related traits and growth-related traits were generally inconspicuous ranging from − 0.02 to 0.11. Conclusions can be obtained from our study that favourable improvement in aquatic selective breeding would be predictable for the genetic potential of the golden shell color in this strain of Pacific oyster, whereas independent selection conducted at the same time rather than correlative selection would be feasible in the improvement of both types of traits.