Effect of the addition of an aqueous extract of the San Pedro Daisy Lasianthaea podocephala, in the culture of the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, under laboratory conditions

The effect of two concentrations of an aqueous extract of the San Pedro Daisy, (Lasianthaea podocephala Gray) roots was evaluated on the water quality, physiological condition and production parameters of the white Pacific shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone), farmed under intensive laboratory conditions. Two treatments and a control were considered: T1 (1 mL of extract per aquarium), T2 (3 mL of the extract per aquarium) and C (control, 0 mL of the extract). No negative effects of the treatments on water quality parameters were observed, which ranged into acceptable limits and without significant differences (P < 0,05). Some of the production parameters such as final biomass and FCA were slightly better in the treatments using the extract. The concentration of haemolymph metabolites indicate that shrimp from treatments with the extract were under better conditions, suggested by the levels of protein and cholesterol in the muscle; moreover, the gene expression results suggest that the extract could have an immunostimulatory effect on shrimp. However, additional studies are required to evaluate the active ingredients of the root extract at the molecular level in order to have more information for the potential use of the plant.