The freshwater pearl mussel(Hyriopsis cumingii),also known as triangle mussel,is a freshwater bivalve widely distributed in China and is the commercially most important mussel species exploited for freshwater pearl production due to its several advantageous pearl production traits.In the paper,study on the investigation,collection and protection of germplasm resources of H.cumingii,development condition of different molecular markers such as RAPD,SSR and mitochondrial gene were introduced and the application of different molecular markers in genetic diversity research in H.cumingii was discussed.Meanwhile the growth performance of H.cumingii from China's five major freshwater lakes and nine reciprocal hybrids F₁ of three excellent germplasm were compared.Then the current research status of pearl formation related genes,immune related genes,shells and pearl color related genes was summarized.And on the basis of interspecific and intraspecific hybridization in H.cumingii,the breeding progress of "kangle" was discussed.Some suggestions for future resarch were put forward,such as using family selection with modern biological technology to breed and promote new varieties which were high yield and quality,meanwhile,study on genome of H.cumingii.This paper provides important scientific basis for genetic improvement of H.cumingii.