Path analysis of quantitative traits of male and female Hong Kong oyster Crassostrea hongkongensis

We measured 5 morphological and production traits from 170 randomly chosen individuals (75 males and 95 females) of Crassostrea hongkongensis using correlation analysis, stepwise regression analysis and path analysis to study the path coefficient, determination coefficient and regression equation of different traits on total weight and meat weight. The results show that there are significant correlations (P＜0.05) among the 5 traits for male group, while for female group, significant correlations are found except between shell height and length, shell height and width; meat weight and shell height have predominant effects on total weight for male group, but for female group, shell height and shell length have more direct effects on total weight than the other traits; for male group, total weight has direct predominant effect on meat weight, then comes shell width, while for female group, meat weight is affected most by shell width, then by total weight. According to regression analysis, four different regression equations on 2 different production traits were established for each sexual group of C.hongkongensis. The results provide important references for the selective breeding of C.hongkongensis.