IPB Experts Analized Genetic Diversity of Rice Eels from West Java
The Asian swamp eel, swamp eel, rice eel, or white ricefield eel (Monopterus albus) is a commercially important, air-breathing species of fish in the Synbranchidae family. The Rice-paddy eel is of minor commercial interest to fisheries; it is caught in bag nets and marketed fresh. The demand for rice paddies in domestic and overseas markets has not been fulfilled due to limited production which still relies on the catch from nature. Currently the population of this species is decreasing due to the decreasing of rice field area and environmental pollution.
Research conducted by the student of Aquaculture Science Program of Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Ahmad Fahrul Syarif, and was supervised by Dinar Tri Soelistyowati and Ridwan Affandi, tried to find out the genetic diversity of rice field eels from West Java. In addition, the study was tried to find out the best manipulated environmental media for farming rice eels. The results of this study is expected to provide genetic data on rice eel of West Java, which are potentially to be developed for cultivation utilizing water media without substrate.
Manipulation which was carried out on aquaculture. is intended find out the adaption of rice eels to certain conditions. If the survival rate of rice eels in aquaculture is exceeded the expected the minimum adaptation requirements, then aquaculture technology can applied and transferred towards a profitable and sustainable large-scale production. In addition, success in cultivation activities is determined by the quality of genetic resources and the response of organisms to the adaptation process from natural conditions to controlled cultivation conditions, i.e. can be raised in limited size containers and artificial environments. Genetic diversity will affect the level of adaptation to the environment, for example, the high genetic diversity of eel will have a better adaptability to environmental conditions.
The study was carried out to evaluate the potential genetic source of West Java rice eel as well as biometric response in the maintenance of the water media for the development of cultivation. The sample of rice field eels were obtained from the three locations in Cianjur, Sukabumi and Karawang. As for the environmental manipulation, water media added with salt was utilized. During which silk worms was provided once a day at satiated with.
The study revealed that the level of diversity of rice field eel population of Karawang origin (23.72 percent) and Cianjur (22.91 percent) higher than the population in its origin Sukabumi (19.47 percent), and there is similarity genotypes and phenotypes of wetland populations from Karawang with Cianjur with the population of Sukabumi. In term of survival ability, growth rate, weight gain and body length and harvest biomass the population of Karawang origin is more superior than the population of Cianjur and Sukabumi. (Wied)
