Successful shrimp culture is a tough task due to the outbreak of diseases, which affect shrimp production and trade. The use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, steroids, livestock feed additives and use of products originating from genetically modified animals make the culture more expensive. Farming with organic fertilizers helps in avoiding all the above. Hence, the present study was planned and executed in commercial shrimp culture ponds, keeping the above objectives in mind. In this study, no inorganic substances, antibiotics and chemicals were used. The probiotics was used right from the soil culture of pond to harvest shrimps. Temperature and salinity did not show much difference in both control and experimental ponds. Transparency level was less in the experimental pond than in the control pond. Dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, phosphate, silicate and total heterotrophic bacteria levels were higher in the experimental pond. Ammonia and nitrite were lower in the experimental pond than in the control pond. The average daily growth and production of shrimps were higher in the experimental pond than in the control pond. This leads to a good sustainable culture practice without deteriorating the water which receives farm discharges.

Aquaculture accounts for about one-third of the world's total food supply for fish food. This sector has the potential to become a sustainable avenue that can supplement fisheries and contribute significantly to feed the world's exploding populations. However, sustainable aquaculture practices over the past few years have led to serious concerns on various coastal biotopes (Primavera, 1989; Khor, 1995; Yuvaraj, 2005; and Saravanan, 2006). Nowadays, international market demands stringent quality standards for food items. Use of banded antibiotics and other chemicals has caused great concern when their residues appeared in processed products. So, the current study was designed to fulfil the above-said lacunae in shrimp culture. The basic principle of organic farming is to encourage natural biological cycles in the production of aquatic organisms. Organic fertilizers such as manure, cottonseed meal, soybean meal, rice bran, alfalfa meal and other processed grains or hays are used to improve pond productivity in organic farming. The use of animal manure is very effective for stimulating the growth of aquatic plants and animals (Wurts, 2001). The use of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) to displace pathogens by competitive processes is being used in organic farming as a better remedy than administering antibiotics. The global market (US, Europe and Germany) for the organic food is booming, worth approximately $20 bn in the year 2000 (Lockwood, 2000; and Ramachandran and Sathiadas, 2005). Keeping this in mind the present study is aim at studying the use of organics and probiotics in the culture of black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon.

The study was carried out in a shrimp farm situated on the southern bank of Uppanar estuary at Thirumulaivasal, Tamil Nadu, India. Two ponds were selected for the present study, a control pond and an experimental pond. Both the ponds had a water spread area of 0.6 ha. Soil culture was done by applying shell lime at 500 kg for both ponds. Disinfected water was pumped from the reservoir to both the ponds. Organic fertilization (rice bran, cow dung, yeast and a blend of probiotic bacteria) was done in the experimental pond which was inoculated for plankton production, whereas in the control pond inorganic fertilizers were added in the ratio of 10:2 (N:P).

Healthy (negative-polymerase chain reaction (PCR)) P. monodon seeds were stocked at a density of 6 m^–2 in both ponds. Survival rate was estimated using survival pens (happa nets). Blind feeding was done for the first 30 days. Later the feeding was adjusted according to the check tray observation. Feeding was done by using CP feed (Charoen Pokhpand aquaculture India Pvt. Ltd., Chennai, India) and the feeding schedule was based on the company's feed chart. Sampling was done in the ponds every fortnight during early hours of the day with a cast net. Healthiness, survival rate, Average Body Weight (ABW) and Average Daily Growth (ADG) of the animals were recorded. Regular water exchange was done only in the control pond, and for the experimental pond only topping up of water was done. Commercially available probiotics NS Super SPO (Nu Genes Technologies, Alexander Avenue, Inc.) was used as water probiotic and Super PS (CP aquaculture India Pvt. Ltd.) as soil probiotic.

Life Sciences Journal, Shrimp Culture, Control Pond, Aquatic Organisms, International Markets, Organic Farming, Organic Fertilization, Culture Ponds, Probiotic Strains, Aquaculture Production, Plankton Productivity, Water Quality Parameters.