BIAO XIE, WEI JIANG and HAO YANG
School of Geography Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210046, P. R. China
BIAO XIE, WEI JIANG and HAO YANG, 2011. Growth performance and nutrient quality of Chinese Shrimp Penaeus chinensis in organic polyculture with razor clam Sinonovacula constricta or hard clam Meretrix meretrix. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 17: 851-858
The feasibility of organic polyculture of Chinese Shrimp, razor clam and hard clam in earthen ponds, and its effect on growth performance and nutrient quality, was assessed in a 130-days experimental study. Shrimp in the ponds with razor clam reached 15.2 cm, 17.2 g and 3.95 g respectively, with the highest body length, fresh and dry weight gain. No significant differences in amino acid profile of shrimps were observed among ponds. The highest crude protein content (0.903 mg g-1 d.w.) of shrimp was observed in polyculture ponds with razor clam and the
lowest in monoculture ponds (0.842 mg g-1 d.w.). The highest copper concentration of shrimp was in monoculture ponds (4.63 mg kg-1), and the lowest in polyculture ponds with razor clam (3.99 mg kg-1). Zinc content was significantly lower in polyculture with razor clam (7.08 mg kg-1) than in monoculture control (7.80 mg kg-1) and polyculture with hard clam (7.99 mg kg-1). For lead and cadmium concentrations, no significant differences were observed among ponds. It is concluded that organic polyculture of shrimp and mollusks is technically feasible and that the presence of mollusks improves some variables of growth performance and nutrient quality.