Resumo

GARCIA-ULLOA, Μ; GALLO-GARCIA, MC; PONCE-PALAFOX, JT  e  ARREDONDO-FIGUEROA, JL. Effect of lime on the control of boring worms (Polychaete: Spionidae) in an experimental oyster culture, with varying immersion time and frequency of application. Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.2, pp.125-134. ISSN 0186-2979.

The combined effect of different immersion times (30, 60, 300 and 600 seconds) and application frequencies (7, 14, 21 and 28 days) of a 0.2% lime solution on the control of boring worms in an experimental oyster culture was studied. The experiment was carried out during 20 weeks in Barra de Navidad Lagoon (Jalisco, Mexico) as the culture site. The lowest number of mud blisters (1.32 ± 0.60 blisters per oyster) was obtained for treatment 7/600, which presented significant differences (F = 3.07; ρ = 0.0029) in relation to the control group (2.33 ± 0.35 blisters per oyster). With respect to the immersion time on the mean number of blisters on the oyster shells, the 600 seconds treatment was significantly different from the other immersion times (F = 8.18; ρ = 0.0003). No significant effect was observed for the application frequency on the mean number of blisters (F = 2.43; ρ = 0.083), and there was no interaction between the factors time and frequency (F = 1.76; ρ = 0.1156). Daily growth fluctuated from 4.20 ± 0.76 % for the 7/600 group to 5.77 ± 0.15% for the 14/600 treatment. Survival averaged 15.72% in all treatments. Results indicate that, in order to control the worm population, the oysters must be treated with lime at the concentration tested, at least once a month for 600 seconds throughout the culture cycle.

Palavras-chave : Lime; polychaete control; oyster culture; immersion time; application frequency.