Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PEARL NUCLEI IMPLANTATION AND REARING METHODS ON SURVIVAL, GROWTH AND PEARL FORMATION IN FRESHWATER MUSSEL, LAMELLIDENS MARGINALIS IN PUNJAB

Abhed Pandey and Avtar Singh

Abstract

To study comparative effect of different pearl nuclei implantation and rearing method on survival and growth of freshwater mussel, Lamellidens marginalis, the pearl nuclei were implanted in mussels by three methods (mantle cavity, mantle tissue and gonadal implantation), tagged and kept for 10 days in postoperative care unit. Live implanted mussels were reared for 12 months by two different methods i.e. in nylon bags (15cmx30cm) suspended in an earthen pond from a bamboo frame and in plastic crates (0.5 m x 0.35 m x 0.25 m) placed at the bottom of the same pond. Maximum survival (85%) of implanted mussels was recorded with mantle cavity implantation method, followed by mantle tissue implantation (70%) and gonadal implantation method (20%). A significantly higher growth (P<0.05) mean length 9.52±0.19cm and mean weight 94.61±1.06 gm was observed in the mussels reared in net bags as compared to mussels reared in plastic crates (mean length 9.16±0.13 cm and mean weight 89.46±1.40 gm). The maximum and minimum thickness of nacreous layer was 0.35 and 0.20 mm respectively in mantle cavity implantation method. The result reveal that mental cavity implantation and rearing of implanted mussels in nylon bag is the most suitable combination for producing freshwater pearls in L. marginalis under local climatic conditions of Punjab. The present study reveals potential of utilizing freshwater pearl mussels for pearl production in the state.