Production and management of shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) in co-culture with basil (Ocimum basilicum) using two sources of low-salinity water

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of an aquaponic culture of white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) and basil (Ocimum basilicum) using two sources of low-salinity water (1.7 g L-1): diluted seawater (DSW) and groundwater (GW) with zero water exchange at a stocking ratio of 4.9 shrimp per basil plant. Six aquaponic treatment systems were constructed: three individual aquaponic systems for DSW-basil, three for GW-basil, and a control (per triplicate) of basil with a hydroponic solution. Stock densities for shrimp were 75 post-larvae m(-2) and 16 plants m(-2) for basil. With the exception of the yield in the shrimp culture (kg m(-2) or ton ha(-1)), no significant differences (P > 0.05) were found for the final individual weight, survival, growth rate and feed conversion ratio between DSW and GW, whereas for basil, lower yields were found with DSW. No significant differences in the basil production between the control and the treatment GW were found. Feed consumption per kg of total harvested basil was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in GW treatment, while for feed intake in the shrimp farming, where no significant differences were found (P > 0.05). The aquaponic culture of shrimp and basil using these two types of low-salinity water sources showed promising results. The estimates of both crop yields were compared with those recorded in the literature and for commercial field crops from northwest Mexico.