EFFECT OF CHITIN ON IMMUNE RESPONSE, GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF GIANT FRESHWATER PRAWN, MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGII (DE MAN)
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Date
2008
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Karnataka Veterinary Animal And Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar
Abstract
Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing food producing sectors in the world. The production has increased at an average rate of 9.2% per year since 1970, where as the production from capture fisheries has increased at the rate of 1.4% per year (FAO,
2002) . Among the several cultivable finfish and shellfishes, giant freshwater prawn {Macrobrachium rosenbergii De Man, 1879), belonging to the family Palaeomonidae under the order Decapoda, forms an important species of interest. Recently farming of freshwater prawn has dramatically increased especially during the last decade when shrimp culture suffered a major setback due to repeated outbreak of viral diseases by viruses. This species exhibits the necessity of varying salinity levels to complete its life cycle, it has been found in waters ranging from 0 to 18% salinity and hence this species can be considered as suitable to culture in fresh waters and brackish waters. Rapid global expansion of freshwater prawn farming was started from 1995 (New, 2005), Mainly because of major contribution by Asian countries, especially from China. Among the top 15 producers of Macrobrachium rosenbergii, India secures third position with an annual production of 24, 230 mt, where as China (128 338 mt) and Viet Nam (28 000 mt) occupy the first and second places respectively (FAO
2003) . India has a vast resources for freshwater prawn farming in inland as well as in brackish water area. About 5.4 million ha freshwater resources are found to be suitable for freshwater prawn farming. Presently, scampi is cultured in about 40,000 ha with an annual production of 35,000 tones in India. Among the various states in India, Andhra Pradesh alone produced 27000 mt (Anonymous, 2003a) as compared to 400 mt in 1998.