Role of artificial substrates on growth performance of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) in semi-arid lands

576-580A culture experiment was conducted to study the role of artificial substrates on pond water quality parameters and growth of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei in zero water exchange system (0.1 ha) for a period of 105 days in high density polyethylene (HDPE) liner ponds. Artificial substrate (fabricated by nylon net material (216 m2) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes) fixed ponds were considered as treatment and those without were designated as control. Both control and treatment ponds were randomly assigned and triplicated. Shrimp juveniles (SPF) at uniform size (1.74 ± 0.46) were stocked at the rate of 50 pcs/m2 in control and treatment ponds. Feeding, sampling and water quality parameters viz; temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, transparency, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, alkalinity and calcium were recorded during culture. On termination of the experiment, shrimps were harvested; growth, survival and biomass were recorded. Significant difference (p L. vannamei