In the world of aquaculture, where disease management and sustainable growth are paramount, a recent study published in the journal ‘Aquaculture Reports’ (translated from its original Latin title) offers a promising breakthrough. Researchers, led by Moaheda E.H. Eissa from the Biotechnology Department at the Fish Farming and Technology Institute of Suez Canal University in Egypt, have discovered that dietary supplementation with Lagenaria siceraria, commonly known as bottle gourd, can significantly enhance the growth, immune response, and disease resistance of Pacific white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).
The study, which spanned 70 days, involved feeding juvenile shrimp with diets enriched with varying concentrations of bottle gourd (0, 10, 20, and 30 grams per kilogram of diet). The results were striking. “Dietary LS enrichment improved growth and feed efficiency variables as well as fish survival,” Eissa noted. The most favorable outcomes were observed in the group fed with 10 grams of bottle gourd per kilogram of diet.
The benefits didn’t stop at growth and survival rates. The researchers found that bottle gourd supplementation enhanced the shrimp’s immune and antioxidant responses. This included increases in total hemocyte count, lysozyme, phenoloxidase, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase. Moreover, the study revealed that bottle gourd supplementation up-regulated genes associated with these immune and antioxidant responses.
The histological analysis of the shrimp’s muscle fibers and hepato-pancreatic tissues also showed positive changes. There was a gradual increase in the diameters of muscle fibers and the number and volume of B-cells in the hepato-pancreatic tissues with dietary bottle gourd enrichment.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of the study was the shrimp’s response to a fungal challenge. When exposed to Fusarium solani, a common pathogen in aquaculture, the shrimp fed with bottle gourd-supplemented diets showed significantly higher survival rates. The survival rates were 60%, 60%, and 70% in the groups fed with 10, 20, and 30 grams of bottle gourd per kilogram of diet, respectively, compared to just 35% in the control group.
The implications of this research for the aquaculture industry are substantial. As Eissa explains, “This investigation offers insightful knowledge about LS’s potential as a dietary intervention to enhance the immune status, disease resistance, and growth of L. vannamei.” By incorporating bottle gourd into shrimp diets, farmers may be able to improve their yields and reduce losses due to disease, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and profitable aquaculture practices.
This study not only highlights the potential of bottle gourd as a feed supplement but also opens doors for further research into other medicinal plants and their applications in aquaculture. As the industry continues to seek sustainable and effective ways to manage disease and improve growth, such natural interventions could play a pivotal role. The findings, published in ‘Aquaculture Reports’, provide a solid foundation for future developments in this field, offering hope for a healthier, more productive shrimp farming industry.