Description

An increase demand for high protein food from aquatic sources and the necessity to find an alternative for fisheries have given rise to worldwide expansion of Aquaculture. Contrary to agriculture, aquaculture is a new industry with scientific knowledge limited only to a few species. The development of intensive aquaculture systems is expected to open new vistas in the field of nutritious food production and will also be a challenge for biotechnological research.

A major problem for the development of crustacean aquaculture is the control of reproduction, especially ovary maturation. As several species of high commercial value do not mature without external manipulation, particular attention has been paid to endocrine control of vitellogenesis. Although not fully elucidated, this process is known to be under the control of neuroendocrine factors. Therefore successful development of aquaculture needs the detailed knowledge in the area of reproductive biology. The understanding of reproductive mechanisms in Crustacea is somewhat less compared to that of fish species. With the result there are now less number of technologies to control reproduction in crustaceans. Yet, a great deal of knowledge has accumulated especially regarding the processing of vitellogenin; and the physiological functioning of eyestalk hormones, especially those that control synchronous processes of ovarian development and molting. However, in crustacea vitellogenin is synthesized in specific tissues as yolk protein precursor and is subdivided into smaller molecules which subsequently accumulate in developing oocytes as vitellin to serve as a source of nutrients during embryogenesis. Thus the impending challenge is the development of techniques that will optimize productio.