Thyme oil continues to show good results
Italian researchers have tested the essential oil derived from the plant species Thymus vulgaris as a treatment for the fungal disease saprolegniosis since 2002 (Parassitologia, 2002, vol. 44, no1). In Chile however, not until recently have researchers applied this treatment on farmed salmon, and so far the results have been promising. According to Aqua.cl, last week the two research institutes leading the investigation, the Agriculture Innovation Foundation (FIA) and the Aquaculture Development Laboratory of the School of Marine Sciences of the Universidad Católica (Labpac), held a seminar for salmon health professionals titled, “The application of thyme oil in the management of saprolegniosis”. The objective of the seminar was to inform the salmon industry of the results obtained from various tests of treatment methods using thyme oil. Research shows that the essential oil is effective for treating saprolegniosis in various life stages depending on the concentration and the time lapse of the treatment baths. For example, baths with 200 ppm concentration are effective for salmon eggs, while trout alevins can tolerate baths of 50 ppm concentration for up to 30 minutes. The inclusion of thyme oil in the feed has also been tested with positive results.
