Assessment of the Growth Performance by RNA:DNA Ratio in Cyprinus carpio var. communis (Scale carp) Using Different Dietary Protein Levels

Abstract

The study was conducted at wet laboratory of Faculty of Fisheries, Rangil, Ganderbal, SKUAST-Kashmir, India from the time period of March to June, 2019 on scale carp fingerlings (Cyprinus carpio var. communis) to determine the growth performance by measuring RNA:DNA ratio in scale carp after fed with dietary protein level. The fingerlings were fed with three different levels of silkworm pupae supplement [17.51 g 100 g^-1 (T₁), 14.42 g 100 g^-1 (T₂), 11.33 g 100 g^-1 (T₃)] and a control in which no silkworm pupae was included. RNA:DNA ratio were highest in T₁ (1.609), followed by T₂ (1.526) and T₃ (1.239) while the control showed the lowest ratio (0.929). Similarly, fingerlings fed with Silkworm pupae supplemented diets (T₁, T₂ and T₃) exhibited relatively better growth in terms of body weight gain, % weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) as compared to the control. The highest weight gain of 2.4 g was recorded in T₁ followed by T₂ (2.09 g) and T₃ (1.52 g) while the control achieved the lowest weight gain of 0.72 g. Overall, the results revealed that T₁ performed better as compared to the rest treatments and control. In general, the RNA:DNA ratio and growth results correlate with each other in different treatments and control. So, RNA:DNA ratio seems to be as an effective and rapid indicator of growth performance.