CROSSBREEDING PACIFIC OYSTERS FOR HIGH YIELD THROUGH ON-FARM EVALUATION

Our majorgoal for this SBIR Phase II project is to commercialize hybridoysters for the U.S. West Coast industry through crossbreeding and on-farm trials at multiple farm sites. Specific objectives include,(1) production ofthree cohorts of hybrid lines, with up to 40 new hybrid varieties in each cohort; (2) production oftwo cohorts of double-cross hybrid lines, with up to 10 double-hybrid varieties in each cohort; (3) evaluation of hybrid lines at farm sites in Alaska, California, and Washington during twogrowing seasons for field growth, survival,reproductiveconditions, and disease resistance.