Effects of hydrogen peroxide treatment in <i>Artemia</i> cysts of different geographical origin

Short-term treatment with peroxide solutions has been tested as a chemical way to break the diapause of Artemia cysts of different species and geographical strains. The methodology was further standardized by analyzing the impact of the cyst hydration level and the application conditions (concentration, duration, temperature) on the hatching percentage. The peroxide treatment was most effective in deactivating diapause when applied on fully hydrated cysts, and showed a quantitative nature: a maximal positive effect was obtained for specific combinations of peroxide concentration and exposure time. The peroxide effect was preserved after processing and storage of treated cysts. The biochemical mechanisms possibly involved in induction and termination of diapause are discussed