POMS RESISTANCE

Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS) has devastated the shellfish industries of France, Australia, and New Zealand.  Fortunately, scientists in both France and Australia have found genetic resistance in Pacific oyster populations to the OsHV-1 virus that causes POMS.  For biosecurity reasons, the US West Coast industry is not able to import resistant stocks from those countries, where the disease is present.  Work on developing local varieties of Pacific oysters that are resistant to POMS has begun.  Genes conferring resistance to OsHV-1 have been mapped by a research team led by Pacific Hybreed’s Hedgecock and Professor Carolyn Friedman at the University of Washington.  Here, we provide some review and background papers on this important topic.

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