Heat-tolerant soft-shell clams

Abstract

This invention relates to the development of heat-tolerant soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) lines for aquaculture through selective breeding and molecular genetic approaches. Two methods are employed: (1) phenotype-based selection, in which clams are exposed to natural or controlled heat shock conditions (30-33° C.) and survivors are selected across successive generations and multiple populations; and (2) marker-assisted selection (MAS), utilizing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to select broodstock capable of producing heat-tolerant offspring. The resulting lines exhibit enhanced survival and endurance under elevated temperatures, particularly above the species' critical threshold of 28° C. These heat-tolerant clams enable sustainable aquaculture production in Maryland and other warm, low-salinity estuaries where soft-shell clams historically failed to survive summer heat.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.