The identification of gene coding for important commercial traits in prawns was undertaken using a microarray approach.
Both the available crab microarray has been used, as well as a specific prawn microarray that been constructed and used to examine genes associated with reproductive performance and fecundity.
Research into creating an all-female black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) has commenced as part of an international collaboration with Israel.
Efforts are focused on understanding the role of the androgenic gland in sex determination.
Inland organic prawn production:
This RIRDC-funded project investigated the feasibility of growing organically certified prawns in Australia. Work in this area is timely, as evidenced by the immense worldwide interest in this food sector and the current developmental work being performed overseas by aquaculture interests looking to service this developing market.
The project was coordinated by Steve Slattery from Innovative Food Technologies in DPI&F. The project involved activities conducted over two years at several sites and employed a multidisciplinary approach (including farm-based and controlled laboratory feed trials and analyses, and packaging and product storage trials).
Unfortunately, the farm trial could not be fully executed because the supply of the planned organic feed source failed. Several alternative organically certifiable feed sources that could be supplied at commercial scale were investigated in terms of their nutritional contents and ability to be built into simple diets for prawns.
Prawn feed trials demonstrated organic formulations that could produce weight increases of up to 66% of that possible with locally produced commercial (though uncertified) feed.
Some of the critical issues identified for success in this endeavour were the improved water stability of organic feed formulations, the need for more reliable protein source supplies and the possible stocking density of ponds for economic viability and adherence to organic standards.
Prawn packaging experiments demonstrated an extended storage life of prawns in a chilled but unfrozen state, which, regardless of organic status, represents a potentially new product that is not marketed anywhere yet. The project has recently concluded and the final report should be available from RIRDC soon.
Greenwater larval culture techniques:
The desire of Australian fish and prawn farmers to diversify farm produce has prompted the DPI&F to review some of the widely applicable seed production technologies it has developed and refined over the last two decades, and to continue taking the risks necessary to explore and develop opportunities for new culture techniques and species. In particular, the DPI&F has recently reviewed the larval rearing technologies commonly referred to as ‘greenwater culture’.
These methods were developed in Australia by the DPI&F in southern Queensland and have since been extended to many other research agencies and industry participants. They have been successfully applied to a wide variety of endemic fish species (including barramundi, Australian bass, whiting, flathead, snapper, mullet and bream), and similar methods have been reported around the world for a variety of other species likely to interest Queensland mariculturists (e.g. cobia).
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