Chile is one of the leaders in the world salmon industry, occupying second place in salmonid production, after Norway, and supplying 25% of the global supply. At the national level, this product is the largest exporter, after copper.
The sector faces several challenges, however, including the spread of diseases that threaten the stability and quality of production. One of the most common and dangerous is salmonid rickettsial septicemia (SRS), caused by the bacterium Piscirickettsia salmonis.
An article from the Salmonexpert platform states that in 2021, infections accounted for 23% of mortality among salmonids, of which 40% was attributed to SRS. In order to provide a solution to this problem that damages crops, the University of Santiago de Chile has achieved important advances, thanks to the work of its researchers.
In this context, a research team from the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology formulated a feed additive to administer to fish, using natural extracts of Crynodendron patagua (patagua) and Aristotelia chilensis (maqui), with the aim of preventing and treating infections caused by the pathogen Piscirickettsia salmonis.
This project was led by the academics and researchers, Dr. Gustavo Zúñiga, from the Biotechnology and Plant Physiology Laboratory, and Dr. Rubén Vidal, from the Genomics, Molecular Ecology and Evolutionary Studies Laboratory, who worked together on the development of this food with undergraduate and graduate students.
Dr. Zúñiga comments that “this innovation considered the effective and sustainable generation of biomass from two native plant species, which were cultivated in vitro in our laboratory. The purpose was that the product could control the spread of SRS disease and thus reduce fish mortality.”
To evaluate the effectiveness of the technology, the research team conducted tests on adult salmon cultures, achieving a 10% reduction in mortality. In addition, there was an average 25% reduction in the use of conventional antibiotics, without altering the resistance of the bacteria.
Dr. Zúñiga points out that “this formulation was designed to be used as a complementary treatment within the disease control program, allowing the product to be administered to the fish from the fry stage to adulthood, favoring greater efficacy throughout their life cycle.”
Finally, the academic adds that “this innovation seeks to improve health and breeding standards in the crops, contributing to a sustained production that will allow Chilean producers to continue leading exports in the world market.”
Currently, this technology developed at Usach is in the process of applying for a patent in Chile, a process that has been supported by Vriic's Office of Technology Management.
To learn more about the technological portfolio of our University, those interested can access the website of the Directorate of Technological Management.