A Lecturer from the Department of Biology Publishes a Scientific Article on the University of Kerbala Website…
Prof. Dr. Ban Taha Muhammad, from the Department of Biology, published a scientific article on Saprolegnia and its impact on fish stocks in Iraq, titled “Environmental Challenges and Sustainable Solutions.”
She explained that fish stocks in Iraq are an important economic pillar that contributes to achieving food security and providing sources of income for farmers and fishermen, especially in rural areas. The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, along with a number of natural and artificial lakes (such as Lake Tharthar and Lake Razzaza), provide a fertile environment for fish farming, especially common carp (Cyprinus carpio), which represents the largest proportion of local fish production.
Despite the availability of adequate natural resources, this sector faces several challenges, most notably environmental and health-related. These challenges include infectious diseases, particularly fungal diseases, which are prevalent in intensive farming systems and are often accompanied by poor environmental conditions, such as high ammonia concentrations, low dissolved oxygen, and poor water management. [Among these diseases, infections caused by the fungus Saprolegnia spp. are of particular importance, causing direct and indirect economic losses exceeding millions of dollars annually worldwide. Local and international reports have begun to document its spread in Iraq over the past two decades.]
Saprolegnia fungi are members of the order Oomycetes of the kingdom Stramipila. They are characterized by their non-dividing fungi and asexual reproduction by zoospores. This allows them to spread rapidly in freshwater. A gray or white cottony growth often appears on the surface of the body of infected fish or their eggs, especially in cases of wounds or immune stress. The disease caused by this fungus is a secondary disease, exploiting the presence of primary causes such as parasites or poor aquarium environments. The infection worsens, and seasonal fungal epidemics recur, especially during colder seasons. With the absence of effective veterinary control programs for fish diseases in Iraq and the weak infrastructure for early diagnosis, farmers’ reliance on banned chemical treatments such as malachite green without supervision leads to health problems for consumers, in addition to their impact on the aquatic environment and non-target organisms.
This article comes within the context of the growing need for a broader and more accurate understanding of the impact of the Saprolegnia fungus on fish stocks in Iraq, while exploring possible sustainable methods for prevention and control. Recognizing the risks of traditionally used chemical pesticides (such as malachite green), new strategies for Saprolegnia control have been developed that focus on sustainable environmental protection and overall fish health.
