Study on artificial propagation of mussel Mytilus coruscus

Mytilus coruscus is one of the most important species of mussels cultured in China. To date, most of seedlings cultured are collected directly from nature. In 2006, artificial breeding and larval nursery techniques of M.coruscus were successfully accomplished for the first time in China by Zhejiang Ocean University in Shizhu Breeding and Propagation Farm in Shengsi County. Results showed that after intensive culture, the parental mussels can mature enough and produce normal sperm and eggs under artificial conditions. A 95% of the insemination rate could be obtained through artificial insemination. The first polar body appeared in 25 min after insemination under the temperature 16℃. After 39 hours and 50 minutes, the embryos developed successfully into the straight hinge stage with a hatching rate of 92%. After 39 days of intensive nursery, 13.047 million mussel larvae settled with average shell length of 0.69 mm under the temperature 15.8~21℃. Then the mussel larvae were moved to open sea area. And 102 days later, 4.045 million of mussel seedlings were obtained with average shell length of 13.95 mm. The survival rate was 31%. This technique would provide a basis for large scale production of artificial mussel seedlings in the future.