Location: Aquatic Animal Health Research
Project Number: 6010-10600-003-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Jan 27, 2025
End Date: Jan 26, 2030
Objective:
Objective 1: Develop strategies to prevent white spot syndrome virus and Vibrio spp. outbreaks in crustacean aquaculture.
Sub-objective 1.A: Evaluate and develop diagnostic tools for White Spot Syndrome Virus from crayfish outbreaks.
Sub-objective 1.B: Determine the antibacterial activity of bioactive compounds and evaluate their ability to provide protection against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shrimp.
Sub-objective 1.C: Explore the utilization and valorization of Ag-processing waste as functional feed additives to modulate shrimp susceptibility to Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
Objective 2: Identify constraints to intensified shrimp aquaculture production associated with acute and late-term mortalities.
Sub-objective 2.A: Survey of shrimp production ponds to identify factors contributing to late term mortalities.
Sub-objective 2.B: Assess the dietary use of minerals with bioactive compounds to modulate oxidative damage in low salinity shrimp culture.
Approach:
In this 5-year project plan, we will take a multidisciplinary approach to address issues concerning crustacean aquaculture through two main objectives. Our aims are to develop and implement effective strategies that will enhance shrimp survival though late in the production cycle, and to provide tools and strategies for both shrimp and crayfish aquaculture to increase production for U.S. farmers by reducing losses due to disease. Outcomes from this project will be significant and relevant to multiple stakeholder groups, including both inland pond and recirculating aquaculture shrimp producers, crayfish producers, and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Under the first objective, we will develop strategies to prevent white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and Vibrio species outbreaks in crustacean aquaculture. We will accomplish this through the development of rapid diagnostic tools for WSSV detection in crayfish. We will also explore the ability of various functionally activated agro-industrial bio-wastes (lemon pulp, onion skin) to inhibit Vibrio parahaemolyticus growth. An in vivo V. parahaemolyticus challenge after shrimp/crayfish are exposed to bioactive compounds will evaluate the protection of these ingredients to this pathogen.
Under the second objective, constraints to intensified shrimp aquaculture production associated with acute and late-term mortalities, and low-salinity aquaculture practices will be explored. A comprehensive multiyear survey of shrimp farm production ponds will be conducted. This information will help identify and clarify the various factors that contribute to mortality in shrimp during latter stages of their life cycle, called “late term mortalities”, in production ponds. A continuation of evaluating additional functionally activated ingredients for biocontrol of Vibrio species will be conducted. Dietary supplementation of minerals in combination with bioactive ingredients will be incorporated into shrimp diet formulations to evaluate the ability of these compounds to remedy chronic stress induced by ion deficiencies in low salinity water.