Influences of triploidy, parentage and genetic diversity on growth of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas reared in contrasting natural environments.

An increasing number of hypotheses are being proposed to explain the faster growth potential of triploids in molluscs, including their partial sterility or their higher heterozygosity compared to diploids. Triploid advantage however, remains controversial for poorer sites, because of a potential trade-off with survival. These questions were addressed in Crassostrea gigas by deploying meiosis II triploids and their diploid siblings from a single mass spawning of three males and seven females, in two contrasting locations for their trophic resources.