Applications à la conchyliculture des récentes acquisitions sur la biologie des mollusques bivalves

Today, mollusc farming represents the fourth part of the mundial aquaculture production. These results have been permitted by the improvement of farming techniques commercially important but also by advances in the biology of a species. Valuable reproductive studies have been carried out in s.a. hatcheries on triploids and tetraploids animals. Since the last decade, advances in the knowledge of metabolism and growth mechanisms has helped the improvement of the brood stock. Nevertheless, the mundial expansion of bivalve farming increases the outbreak of strong epizooties. Investigations allow a valuable knowledge on the scope of molluscan defence mechanisms against pathogen agents. The results are discussed in relation to a possible selection for bivalve farming.