Vr. Alava et al., EFFECTS OF DIETARY VITAMIN-A, VITAMIN-E, AND VITAMIN-C ON THE OVARIANDEVELOPMENT OF PENAEUS-JAPONICUS, Nippon Suisan Gakkaishi, 59(7), 1993, pp. 1235-1241
A feeding experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of non-suppl
ementation of individual vitamins A, E, and C on the ovarian developme
nt of P. japonicus (mean weight=20.21+/-0.87 g). Vitamin A palmitate,
DL-alpha-tocopherol, and L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate magnesium (APM) were u
sed as the vitamin A, E, and C sources, respectively. A control diet w
as supplemented with these three vitamins. Bilateral eyestalk ablation
was performed within 30-37 days after feeding with the experimental d
iets, and weight gain and gonadosomatic index (GSI) were examined 20 d
ays after each prawn's ablation. The weight gain of prawns fed with th
e control diet was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than of those fed w
ith diets not supplemented with vitamins A or E; however, this was no
different (P>0.05) from that of prawns fed with the APM-unsupplemented
diet. The highest GSI (P<0.05) was observed in prawns fed with the co
ntrol diet. The control and initial prawn tissues contained higher vit
amins A, E, and C than those of prawns fed with diets unsupplemented w
ith vitamins A, E, or APM respectively. The present study showed the e
ssentiality of supplemental vitamins A, E, and C in the diets of brood
stock prawns for enhanced ovarian development.