COMPARATIVE STUDY ON FEED ADDITIVES FOR ENHANCING REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF FEMALE MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGII

This study aimed to explore nutritional strategies for improving the reproductive performance and antioxidant capacity of female <italic>Macrobrachium rosenbergii</italic>, providing data support for the artificial breeding of this species. The commercial diet (CT, 36% protein, 7.9% fat) was used as the control group, with five experimental diets formulated by adding soybean lecithin (LE), arachidonic acid (AA), astaxanthin (AS), soybean lecithin+arachidonic acid+astaxanthin complex (LE+AA+AS), and compound vitamins and minerals (AM), respectively. These diets were fed to female <italic>M. rosenbergii</italic> for 8 weeks. After nutritional enrichment, the hepatopancreas index, gonadosomatic index, spawning rate, and relative egg weight of shrimp in different diet groups were compared, as well as the changes of hemolymph biochemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and gonad development-related gene expression level of broodstock. The results showed that: in terms of reproductive performance, the hepatopancreas index of female shrimp in AA, AS, and LE+AA+AS groups was significantly higher (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05), while serum creatinine (CREA) levels in AS group and LE+AA+AS group was significantly lower (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05). In addition to the LE group, the hemolymph alanine aminotransferase (ALT) content was significantly reduced in all additive group (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05), and the AA group exhibited significantly higher hemolymph albumin (ALB), triacylglycerol (TG), and Total cholesterol (TC) contents (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05). Expression levels of Cyclooxygenase (<italic>COX</italic>)<italic>,</italic> Croquetprotein (<italic>CRQ</italic>)<italic>,</italic> vitellogenin (<italic>VTG</italic>), and Pyrokinins (<italic>PK</italic>) genes were significantly up-regulated in the AS and LE+AA+AS groups (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05), and <italic>VTG</italic> expression was also significantly up-regulated in the AM group (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05). In terms of antioxidant capacity, the AS and LE+AA+AS groups showed an increase in ASA and iNOS activity in the hemolymph, and a significant increase in the expression of <italic>toll</italic>, <italic>Dorsal</italic>, <italic>Relish</italic>, and <italic>IMD</italic> genes in the hepatopancreas (<italic>P</italic>&lt;0.05). The results showed that astaxanthin had the strongest effect on promoting reproductive performance and antioxidant capacity in <italic>M. rosenbergii</italic> broodstock. Adding an appropriate amount of compound vitamins and minerals benefited yolk formation. Arachidonic acid, compound vitamins and minerals supported lipid nutrient reserve and mobilization of broodstock during breeding period, and arachidonic acid also exerting a better antioxidant effect.