LAUSR

Musa acuminate peel extract as an immunostimulant, administrated in the diets of Macrobrachium rosenbergii, and an assessment of a simplified process to develop low‐cost feed additives are conducted in this study. The products obtained serially, during the processes of hot‐water banana peel extraction, were administrated in the diets of M. rosenbergii, including dried banana peel powder (DBP) at 8 g/kg, hot‐water‐treated banana peel (HBP) at 8 g/kg and hot‐water extract of banana peel (BPE) at 2 g/kg during the 32 days of the feeding trial. Total haemocyte count, different haemocyte count, respiratory bursts; and activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, phenoloxidase and transglutaminase, as well as an accelerated haemolymph clotting time, significantly increased in M. rosenbergii fed with diets containing HBP and BPE, 32 days post‐feeding. Furthermore, the phagocytic activity and clearance efficiency of prawns against Lactococcus garvieae infection increased significantly. The respective relative survival percentages of prawns fed with HBP, and BPE containing diets after 32 days of feeding trial were 29.2% and 41.7% against L. garvieae infection for 144 hours, and 50%, and 50% against hypothermal stress for 96 hours of exposure. We may therefore conclude that HBP, obtained from a simplified procedure, without centrifugation and lyophilization, may strategically promote tolerance to hypothermal stress, and enhance immunity and resistance to L. garvieae infection.