The use of trifluralin to control fungal infection and to increase hatching rate of fertilized eggs of brood ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) in Guilan Province

Abstract

A brood ship sturgeon with the weight of 10 kg, produced 3.6 kg eggs. After the fertilization process, 300 g of eggs (approximately 8800±120 eggs) were distributed into each box of Youchtchenko incubator (each incubator has 4 boxes). The research was carried out with 4 treatments and 3 replications in each treatment. The research was conducted at the International Sturgeon Research Institute and Beheshti Sturgeon Restoration and Genetic Conservation Center, in 2017. Treatments included control (no added trifluralin herbicide) and 3 different concentrations of trifluralin, treatment 1 (0.1 mg L-1), treatment 2 (0.05 mg L-1), treatment 3 (0.025 mg L-1). Trifluralin was added 24 hours after placing the fertilized eggs in the incubator. 48 hours after incubation, the number of fungal eggs reached the highest level in treatments. However, in the control treatment it was significantly more than other treatments) p<0.05(. In treatments 2 and 3 the remaining eggs and the hatching rate, were significantly lower than other treatments) p<0.05(. Possibly, the use of trifluralin in two concentrations of 0.025 and 0.05 mg L-1 had negative effects, which may be due to low concentrations and use as a temporary bath. After 96 hours, the eggs were completely hatched. Hatching rate in treatment 1, was significantly more than control and treatments 2 and 3 (p<0.05). The results indicated that trifluralin can be successfully used in the proper function of Youchtchenko incubator, at a concentration of 0.1 mg L-1.