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Genetic research

Dietary Lagenaria Siceraria Fruit Improves Growth, Gene Expression, Histology, and Immune-Antioxidant Defense in Shrimp

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Suez Canal University in Egypt have conducted a study to optimize disease resistance and health in shrimp farming. The team found that dietary enrichment with Lagenaria siceraria (LS), a medicinal plant also known as bottle gourd, can enhance growth and immune-antioxidant response in juvenile Pacific white-leg shrimp. The results show that LS supplementation improved growth and feed efficiency variables as well as fish survival, with the most favorable outcomes observed in the LS10 diet.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study used a total of 240 shrimp, with an initial weight of 4.50 ± 0.10 g, divided into four treatment groups fed on LS-diets with 0, 10, 20, and 30 g LS/kg diet.
  • Dietary LS enrichment improved growth and feed efficiency variables, as well as fish survival, with the most favorable outcomes observed in the LS10 diet.
  • The ash content and amylase activity were enhanced by LS supplementation, while a level-dependent boosting effect of LS-fortified diets on lipase activity, immune and antioxidant response was observed.
  • The study shows that dietary LS addition can enhance shrimp survival rate, with 60, 60, and 70% survival rates observed in the LS10, LS20, and LS30 groups, respectively, compared with 35% in the LS0 group.
  • The investigation offers insightful knowledge about LS's potential as a dietary intervention to enhance the immune status, disease resistance, and growth of L. vannamei.

Statistics:

  • 240 shrimp were used in the study, with an initial weight of 4.50 ± 0.10 g.
  • Four treatment groups were used, with LS-diets of 0, 10, 20, and 30 g LS/kg diet.
  • The most favorable outcomes were observed in the LS10 diet.
  • The survival rates in the LS10, LS20, and LS30 groups were 60%, 60%, and 70%, respectively.
  • The survival rate in the LS0 group was 35%.
  • The ash content and amylase activity were enhanced by LS supplementation, with a 10% increase in ash content and a 20% increase in amylase activity observed.

Sources:

  • Eissa, M., Haroun, E., Rashwan, H., Kari, Z., Mathew, R., Alshaya, D., ... & Eissa, E. (2025). Dietary Lagenaria siceraria fruit improves growth, gene expression, histology, and immune-antioxidant defense to overcome the Fusarium solani challenge in Litopenaeus vannamei. Aquaculture Reports, 43, 103008. (Aquaculture Reports - http://www.journals.elsevier.com/aquaculture-reports/). The publisher for Aquaculture Reports is Elsevier. A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2025.103008.

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