Dynamic stock model for analysing semi‐intensive production of whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus (Penaeus) vannamei affected by the acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease: Assessment of disease severity indicators and relationships with pond water quality parameters

The production of Litopenaeus vannamei was analysed when affected by the acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease using a dynamic stock model and primary data of seven production cycles from a shrimp farm in Mexico from 2013 to 2016. Significant results (p < .05) of the correlation analysis indicated that during those years mortalities by the disease were more severe when water salinity was high and productivity was low. Significant results from ANOVA showed that throughout the period, disease severity and salinity diminished while pond productivity initially declined but subsequently improved. Significant results from regression analyses conducted for each production cycle also indicated the importance of salinity and productivity on disease severity and showed that early mortality by the disease occurred in ponds with warmer water. Within the observed range of water quality parameters, increases of 1 cm in water transparency and 1 g/L in salinity resulted in increments within 0.17%–0.25% and 1.7%–3.1% in shrimp mortality by the disease. When increases of 1°C in water temperature were recorded, outbreaks occurred 0.2–1.57 weeks earlier. In conclusion, the disease strongly determines the dynamics of shrimp production, and the role of salinity, productivity and temperature is worthy of further delving.