| Grant number: | 12/51762-5 |
| Support type: | Regular Research Grants |
| Duration: | April 01, 2013 - June 30, 2015 |
| Field of knowledge: | Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture |
| Principal researcher: | Helcio Luis de Almeida Marques |
| Grantee: | Helcio Luis de Almeida Marques |
| Home Institution: | Instituto de Pesca. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract
Rising demand for juvenile mussels (seed) to start the process of cultivation has increased its value, making no prior practices followed by farmers, such as control of seeding densities, start to gain importance. The aim of this study is to, determine the influence of three seeding densities on some growth indicators of mussels cultured in the rope system at Cocanha Beach, Caraguatatuba (SP), by means of studies on the influence of density and biomass on growth of mussels; influence of density on the relationships: length vs. total weight, tissue weight and weight of the shells of mussels, length-weight relationship, growth curves in length and weight; intensity of settlement of new cohorts (seed) of mussels on the ropes; biomass of fouling organisms on the ropes; environmental conditions and food availability in the study area. Temperature, salinity and water transparency will be monitored weekly. Chlorophyll-a and total particulate materials (organic and inorganic fractions) will be monthly measured. In May 2013, 48 ropes 1 m long each, seeded at densities of 200, 300 and 400 seeds m-1 (16 ropes by density) will be distributed in two long-lines. Each month, starting in June 2013 and during six months, two ropes will be sampled from each density. A factorial ANOVA will be applied to test the effect of the density and the cultivation time on the lengths and weights of mussels. In December the remaining four ropes of each density will be harvested, comparing mean lengths and weights by one-way ANOVA with three treatments and four replicates. (AU)