Monosex prawns as biocontrol agents over damaging snails
Prawns are efficient snail predators, and thus might serve as sustainable and responsible biocontrol agents over various species of damaging snails. The motivation of this study initiated from Africa, where a parasitic disease (Schistosomiasis, Bilharzia) is widespread and causes considerable damage to public health (over 200 millions exposed). The disease is transmitted via a freshwater snail and has been thoroughly studied by our collaborator Prof. Giulio De Leo and his team in Stanford University. Our recent monosex prawns biotechnologies enabled us to apply responsible, efficient and non-invasive biocontrol agents in various parts of the world. Additional species of freshwater snails cause damages to agriculture (apple snail in rice fields), aquaculture (disease carrying snails for fish) and to natural ecosystems as invasive species. Monosex prawns are the ideal solutions for such problems, as efficient predators on one hand and as high value aquaculture product from the other. This project was led by Dr. Amit Savaya.
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