GROWTH-POTENTIAL OF WILD JUVENILE PENAEUS-STYLIROSTRIS IN EARTHEN PONDS RECEIVING CHEMICAL AND ORGANIC FERTILIZERS, AND PELLETED FEED

The growth potential of wild juvenile Penaeus stylirostris was analyze d in experimental trials using chemical and organic fertilizers and pe lleted feed in 0.25 ha earthen ponds. Shrimp were stocked at a low den sity (1.6 ind/ m(2)). After 103 days, final weight ranged from 9.5 to 26.0 g. The significance of differences in growth response was determi ned using a reparameterization of the von Bertalanffy growth curve. Ma ximum growth rates observed in the trials ranged from 0.06 to 0.33 g/d ay, averaging 0.22 g/day. Maximum rates were related to weight by the equation: (dw/dt)(max) = 0.034 w(0.69) r(2) = 0.9, P < 0.05 Pelleted f eed produced best growth, chemical fertilizers were acceptable, and or ganic fertilizers gave poor results. The high growth potential of the species stimulates future research in order to adapt a culture technol ogy to the semi-arid conditions of northwest Mexico, where the species is indigenous.