Evaluation of Lactobacillus plantarum as a water additive on host associated microflora, growth, feed efficiency and immune response of giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man, 1879)

A 90-day experiment was conducted by rearing 1020 prawn juveniles (0.54 +/- 0.03g) in water supplemented with three different concentrations of probiotic bacteria viz. T1 (10(7)cfuL(-1)), T2 (10(8)cfuL(-1)), T3 (10(9)cfuL(-1)) and the control (C) (unsupplemented water), to evaluate probiotic effect of Lactobacillus plantarum. In the present study, the growth parameters (WG%, SGR) and feed utilization parameters (FCR, PER) significantly improved (P<0.05) in T3. The growth and feed utilization parameters though improved marginally in T1 and T2, the difference was not significant (P>0.05) compared to the control. The gastro-intestinal Lactobacillus sp. count increased significantly (P<0.05) in all the treatment groups, whereas the decrease in harmful bacteria was significant (P<0.05) in T3 compared to the control. Similarly, the Lactobacillus sp. count in culture water increased significantly (P<0.05) in all the experimental groups, whereas the decrease in harmful bacteria was significant (P<0.05) in T2 and T3. The immune parameters (THC, PO and RB activity) and clearance efficiency significantly improved (P<0.05) in T3 with concurrent decrease (P<0.05) in cumulative mortality against Aeromonas hydrophila challenge. However, water quality did not improved (P>0.05) in any of the treatment groups. The results indicate that Lactobacillus plantarum at a minimum concentration of 10(9)cfuL(-1) could be used as water additive to confer its probiotic effect in prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Moreover, future studies with higher probiotic concentrations should be conducted for its efficient commercial scale field application.