Effects of arachidonic acid supplementation in maturation diet on female reproductive performance and larval quality of giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

Chanpim Kangpanich; Jarunan Pratoomyot; Nisa Siranonthana; Wansuk Senanan

doi:10.7717/peerj.2735

Effects of arachidonic acid supplementation in maturation diet on female reproductive performance and larval quality of giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

PeerJ. 2016 Nov 29:4:e2735. doi: 10.7717/peerj.2735. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Chanpim Kangpanich¹, Jarunan Pratoomyot², Nisa Siranonthana², Wansuk Senanan³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Chonburi, Thailand; Department of Aquatic Science, Faculty of Science, Burapha University, Chonburi, Thailand.
² Institute of Marine Science, Burapha University , Chonburi , Thailand.
³ Department of Aquatic Science, Faculty of Science, Burapha University , Chonburi , Thailand.

Abstract

The giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is one of the most farmed freshwater crustaceans in the world. Its global production has been stalling in the past decade due to the inconsistent quality of broodstock and hatchery-produced seeds. A better understanding of the role of nutrition in maturation diets will help overcome some of the production challenges. Arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6, ARA) is a fatty acid precursor of signaling molecules important for crustacean reproduction, prostaglandins E and F of the series II (PGE2 and PGF2α), and is often lacking in maturation diets of shrimp and prawns. We examined the effects of ARA in a combination of different fish oil (FO) and soybean oil (SO) blends on females' reproductive performance and larval quality. Adult females (15.22 ± 0.13 g and 11.12 ± 0.09 cm) were fed six isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets containing one of two different base compositions (A or B), supplemented with one of three levels of Mortierella alpine-derived ARA (containing 40% active ARA): 0, 1 or 2% by ingredient weight. The two base diets differed in the percentages of (FO and SO with diet A containing 2% SO and 2% FO and diet B containing 2.5% SO and 1.5% FO, resulting in differences in proportional contents of dietary linoleic acid (18:2n-6, LOA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA)). After the eight-week experiment, prawns fed diet B with 1 and 2% ARA supplement (B1 and B2) exhibited the highest gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), egg clutch weight, fecundity, hatching rate, number of larvae, and reproductive effort compared to those fed other diets (p ≤ 0.05). Larvae from these two dietary treatments also had higher tolerance to low salinity (2 ppt). The maturation period was not significantly different among most treatments (p ≥ 0.05). ARA supplementation, regardless of the base diet, significantly improved GSI, HSI, egg clutch weight and fecundity. However, the diets with an enhanced ARA and LOA (B1 and B2) resulted in the best reproductive performance, egg hatchability and larval tolerance to low salinity. These dietary treatments also allow for effective accumulation of ARA and an n-3 lcPUFA, DHA in eggs and larvae.

Keywords: Arachidonic acid (ara); Essential fatty acid; Giant river prawn; Macrobrachium rosenbergii; Maturation diet.

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Aquatic Science PhD graduate program, Faculty of Science, Burapha University. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.