Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of crude oil Water Soluble Fraction (wsf) and the aqueous extract of Lepidagathis alopecuroides on fertilty and hatchability of Clarias gariepinus. Artificially fertilized eggs of Clarias gariepinus were exposed to five sublethal concentrations of L. alopecuroides and five concentrations of the water soluble fractions of crude oil. The results showed that there was concentration dependent reduction in hatchability of eggs exposed to L. alopecuroides. A highly significant (p<0.01) but negative linear correlation (r = -0.9327) was observed between percent hatchability and the concentration of crude oil water soluble fraction. Both relationships were linear with regression equations y = -73.68x+65.92 vs. y = -0.085x+75.03 and coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.870 vs. 0.915, respectively. This result confirms that both L. alopecuroides and crude oil water soluble fraction are capable of inhibiting hatchability of Clarias gariepinus and reducing the reproductive capacity of this species in the wild.

Keywords:

Clarias gariepinus, crude oil, hatchability, plant extract, sperm viability,

References

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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The authors have no competing interests.