An overview of the breeding and larval rearing techniques of pearl oyster Pinctada maxima

Pinctada maxima is a pearl oyster species in the Pinctada genus that produces some of the world’s highest-value pearls. In past decades, the pearl culture industry relied heavily on wild stocks of this species for pearl production. To reduce the exploitation of wild populations while simultaneously supporting industry expansion and ensuring sustainable pearl culture, proper broodstock management, breeding techniques, and larval rearing practices are essential. Although information on the breeding techniques and larval rearing practices of Pinctada maxima is relatively abundant, it has not been systematically compiled or organised. Therefore, this review summarises and discusses information reported in previous studies on the breeding techniques and larval rearing practices of Pinctada maxima. The breeding section covers early broodstock selection, intensive broodstock conditioning, previously reported breeding techniques, and egg incubation. The larval rearing section includes larval feeding and nutrition, comparisons of food rations and stocking densities, water quality parameters, and larval settlement, with particular emphasis on the types of spat collectors used. In addition, this review highlights existing knowledge gaps that warrant further investigation.