Growth characteristics and production performance analysis of new scallop strain "Zihaimo" F₄

To assess the production performance of the scallop new strain "Zihaimo" and provide references for the breeding effect of the new strain, we conducted a research in the same sea area with the same management mode and breeding cycle. By comparing seven traits of scallop farming population including shell length (SL), shell height (SH), shell width (SB), body mass (BW), adductor muscle mass (AW) and shell mass (SW) and survival rate of the new strain "Zihaimo" F₄ with the Argopecten irradians concentricus, we analyzed their growth characteristics and production performance. The results indicate that the accumulated survival rate of "Zihaimo" F₄ was 51.32% when it was cultured from October 13^th to April 28^th of the next year, and the SL was from 1–1.5 mm to 50–60 mm, which was significantly greater than 29.18% of A. irradians concentricus (P<0.01). However, the SL, SH, SB and SW of the two cultivation groups in the same period had extremely significant differences (P<0.01). It is suggested that the growth rate of the new strain "Zihaimo" F₄ was higher than that of A. irradians concentricus. Compared with A. irradians concentricus, after 6.5 months of cultivation, the SL, SH, SB, BW and AW of the new strain "Zihaimo" F₄ increased by 19.50%, 19.84%, 16.23%, 56.30% and 20.20%, respectively.