Effect of probiotics on alkaline phosphatase activity and nutrient level in sediment of shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, ponds

The effect of probiotics on alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) and nutrient concentrations (total phosphorus, (TP); total inorganic phosphorus, (TIP); total organic phosphorus, (TOP); total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN)) in sediment of shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, cultural pond was investigated. Three ponds were treated with commercial probiotics and three were used as the control (without any probiotics). TP was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in the treatment group compared with the control group at 20, 40 and 60 days post treatment. However, the difference of TP content was reduced to less significant after 80 days. The TIP concentrations of the treatment in sediment was lower (P < 0.05) than that of the control on day 20, 40 and 80. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was found in TOP content. The amount of total N and TOC contents at day 0 of the experiment were not significantly between treatment and control ponds (P > 0.05). However, the probiotic supplementation remarkably decreased TN and TOC (P < 0.05) in the treatment group after day 20. APA was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between treatment and the control groups. The seasonal APA followed a similar trend for all the ponds, low at the beginning, peaked on day 20, and then showed a second peak on day 100. The data showed that the application of probiotics would mitigate the nitrogen and phosphate pollution in ponds sediments.