Ms Lourie Ann Hinaloc1, Dr. rer. nat Michael Roleda1
1Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, Philippines
Correspondence: Lourie Ann R. Hinaloc, lrhinaloc@up.edu.ph
Vegetative propagation in mariculture ensures the preservation of desirable traits and safeguards the quality of the farmed cultivars. This practice, however, negates genetic exchange over time which leads to low genetic variation and decline in plant vigor. High genetic variation enables growth in wide range of environmental conditions especially in a changing climate. To provide alternative seedstocks for the commercially farmed cultivars/haplotypes, selection from the hatchery-reared progenies of wild reproductive individuals can provide new seedstocks and different male and females individuals for selective breeding. Currently, there is paucity of information concerning the reproductive characteristics and germling growth under nursery or hatchery condition. This study focuses on the morphological comparison between the parental plants, its corresponding offsprings, and variation within cohort. Development of reproductive structures and its fate over time under hatchery conditions is also documented. Furthermore, evidence of chimeric individuals resulting from early-stage coalescence is also presented.