GrowtH acceleration of Tropical Abalone, Haliotis squamata IMMERSED IN RECOMBINANT GIANT GROUPER GROWTH HORMONE

The most crucial problem in abalone aquaculture is the slow growth of the species. Studies investigating the use of rGH for promoting growth have been performed in various species. This research aimed to examine the growth acceleration of tropical abalone Haliotis squamata juvenile after being treated in different immersion frequency of recombinant giant grouper, Epinephelus lanceolatus growth hormone (rElGH).

Initial size of abalone was 11.92±0.02 mm shell length, and 0.34±0.02 g body weight. There were four treatments of rElGH immersion frequency: 4, 9, 16 times and without immersion (control). Each treatment was in triplicates. Immersion was performed for 3 hours, at 4-day intervals and a density of 100 abalones in 1 L seawater containing 30 mg rElGH. The rElGH was dissolved in PBS (16 mM Na₂HPO₄.2H₂O, 4 mM NaH₂PO₄.2H₂O, 120 mM NaCl, pH 7.4) before being diluted in seawater. Immersion was conducted in a beaker glass supplied with oxygen. The results showed that rElGH immersion for total of 4 times revealed was significantly higher increment in body weight, body length and survival (28.04%, 51.77%, and 17.33%, respectively) compared to control (P<0.05). Immersion in rElGH also affected to accelerate body weight and lenght of abalone during 210 day as shown in Figure 1.