PRIMARILY due to its simple but appealing taste and affordable price, tilapia is considered as one of the important aquaculture species in the country.
Among the best cultured tilapia species is the “Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia” or GIFT because it has higher aquaculture yield due to its rapid growth and higher survival rates.
But the production of this species has declined due to its low reproductive performance.
As such, there is a need to optimize and improve the current culture strategies to promote the improved potentials of GIFT.
As such, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) has approved a project that aims to address this concern during its recent Directors’ Council Meeting.
The project is called “Enhanced Aquaculture System for Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) Strain Towards Improved Reproductive Performance of Broodstock and Sustainable Supply of Quality Fry and Fingerlings.”
It aims to develop an enhanced culture system for GIFT towards improved reproductive performance of broodstock and sustainable supply of quality fry and fingerlings.
An enriched diet for broodstock, fry, and fingerlings using non-conventional materials will be developed under the project.
This enriched diet is expected to promote improved immune response, growth, survival, and reproductive performance.
The project will also develop an improved culture management system for broodstock, fry and fingerlings.
The meeting served as the venue for levelling of expectations, briefing on the guidelines for technical and financial monitoring, project mechanics, required documents, and other obligations of the proponent under the PCAARRD/DOST-Grants in Aid (DOST-GIA) funded programs/projects, among other concerns.
In a related development about tilapia, the DOST-PCAARRD also conducted a seminar on “Phytoandrogen: An Alternative Sex Reversal Treatment for Nile Tilapia.”
At least 50 participants composed of researchers, technical staff, and private practitioners/stakeholders from state universities and colleges, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Fisheries Offices, and private sector attended the activity.
Organized by the Inland Aquatic Resources Research Division (IARRD) of PCAARRD, the seminar was likewise held at the headquarters of PCAARRD in Los Baños, Laguna.
The seminar tackled four basic topics: 1.) Phytoandrogen, its sources and use for tilapia sex reversal treatment; 2.) Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical screening of phytoandrogen from pine trees; 3.) Laboratory trials; and, 4.) On farm evaluation of phytoandrogen.
The participants were provided with hands-on demonstration on the microscopic examination of sexual dimorphism.
The gonad examination was also presented to the participants to familiarize them in the characterization of the difference in actual appearance between the female and male tilapia.
During the open forum, researchable areas, namely, comparative studies of phytoandrogens from different pine trees and phytoandrogen levels at different maturity stages of pine trees were identified.
The participants were thankful for the activity as it will be beneficial in their work.
The seminar served as a challenge to the participants on the use of phytoandrogen, and to possibly conduct new researchable areas on the technology for the development of the aquaculture industry in the country. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
