A novel application of nuclear techniques for characterising Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) for aquaculture production

The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is increasingly providing a source of healthy nutrition in Australia, the Pacific region, and globally. As demand increases amidst climate uncertainties, there is a need for consistent development of a resilient oyster with improved quality to enhance marketability and sustain the industry. Subsequent to our earlier study, which revealed the quality indicators along the C. gigas aquaculture supply chain, we leverage the application of nuclear analysis techniques to investigate the contributions of environmental (oyster leases) and biological signatures for the development of an industry-preferred oyster. We used a rapid micro-X-ray fluorescence (uXRF) scanning through ITRAX Scanner for elemental profiling and the Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (IRMS) for stable C and N isotope analyses to determine the contribution of sedimentary and dietary sources to C. gigas growth and development under variable environmental and biological conditions. My presentation will include preliminary results from the analysis of the data. The findings suggest that nuclear analysis is a useful tool for the selection of oysters with the best traits for aquaculture. This advanced characterisation represents an essential step in our longer-term goal of developing phenotyping tools to select shell traits in selective breeding programs.