Rational curves in holomorphic symplectic varieties and Gromov–Witten invariants

Abstract We use Gromov–Witten theory to study rational curves in holomorphic symplectic varieties. We present a numerical criterion for the existence of uniruled divisors swept out by rational curves in the primitive curve class of a very general holomorphic symplectic variety of K 3 [ n ] type. We also classify all rational curves in the primitive curve class of the Fano variety of lines in a very general cubic 4-fold, and prove the irreducibility of the corresponding moduli space. Our proofs rely on Gromov–Witten calculations by the first author, and in the Fano case on a geometric construction of Voisin. In the Fano case a second proof via classical geometry is sketched.