Potential prebiotic effects of banana on shrimp health against acute low salinity stress and WSSV infection

The effects of banana (Musa sapientum L.) on growth performance, immune response, stress tolerance and disease resistance of the Pacific white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) were investigated in this study. Crude banana flesh at four ripening stages (under-ripe, half-ripe, ripe, and over-ripe) was added to the shrimp basal diet to explore the effects. After 14 days of feeding, shrimp were challenged with an acute low salinity stress, or separately with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection.