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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #344995
Research Project: Increasing the Value of Cottonseed

Location: Commodity Utilization Research

Title: Evaluation of genetically-improved (glandless) and genetically-modified low-gossypol cottonseed meal as alternative protein sources in the diet of juvenile southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma reared in a recirculating

Author
item ALAM, M - University Of North Carolina-Wilmington
item WATANABE, W - University Of North Carolina-Wilmington
item CARROLL, P - University Of North Carolina-Wilmington
item GABEL, J - University Of North Carolina-Wilmington
item CORUM, M - University Of North Carolina-Wilmington
item SEATON, P - University Of North Carolina-Wilmington
item WEDEGAERTNER, T - Cotton, Inc
item RATHORE, K - Texas A&M University
item Dowd, Michael

Submitted to: Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2018
Publication Date: 2/3/2018
Citation: Alam, M.S., Watanabe, W.O., Carroll, P.M., Gabel, J.E., Corum, M.A., Seaton, P., Wedegaertner, T.C., Rathore, K.S., Dowd, M.K. 2018. Evaluation of genetically-improved (glandless) and genetically-modified low-gossypol cottonseed meal as alternative protein sources in the diet of juvenile southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma reared in a recirculating aquaculture system. Aquaculture. 489:36-45.

Interpretive Summary: This work was undertaken to show the potential of using low-gossypol cottonseed meal as a substitute for diminishing fish meal in flounder diets. The addition of different amounts of cottonseed protein in the diets did not result in reduced levels of body weight, or in reduced survival, feed intake, or protein conversion levels. Replacing up to 75% of the protein with low-gossypol cottonseed protein did not have a significant effect on growth performance factors, or on the level of omega-3 fatty acids in the meat, or on the detectable level of gossypol in liver tissue. The results indicate that cottonseed protein can be useful ingredients in support of aquaculture programs, and the work should be of interest to fish nutritionists and researcher looking to further develop farm raised fish production systems.

Technical Abstract: Cottonseed meal (CSM) proteins from genetically-improved (glandless) seed (GI-CSM, 52.1% crude protein, CP), genetically-modified low-gossypol seed (GMO-CSM, 56.0% CP) and from an untreated regular (glanded) seed (R-CSM 49.9% CP) were evaluated to replace fish meal (FM) protein (59.5% CP) in juvenile southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma diets. Eight isonitrogenous (45% CP) and isolipidic (16% crude lipid, CL) diets were formulated. A control diet (0% CSM) contained 40% FM and other practical protein sources. Six diets replaced 50, 75 or 100% FM protein with GI-CSM or GMO-CSM protein. One diet replaced 100% FM protein by R-CSM protein. Fifteen fish (mean = 1.81 g) were stocked in each of twenty-four 75-L tanks (N = 3 per treatment) and were fed the treatment diets for eight weeks. Final body weight gain (BWG %) was not significantly (P > 0.05) different in fish fed the GI- and GMO- and R-CSM protein diets compared with the control diet (0% CSM), but BWG was greater (P < 0.05) in fish fed the 50% GI-CSM diet versus the 100% GI-CSM diet. Survival, feed intake and conversion ratios did not differ among treatments. Liver gossypol was only detectable in fish fed the 100% R-CSM diet. Replacing up to 75% FM protein by GI- or GMO-CSM protein did not affect growth performance, whole body omega-3 PUFAs, or liver gossypol.