Aquaponics biotechnology integrates aquaculture and hydroponics. In this sense, it is accepted that these systems result in the improvement of water quality, higher nutrient availability, and high quality production of a second product, the plants. However, information regarding a beneficial or detrimental effect upon aquatic organisms at physiological level, and particularly in reducing disease presentation, is still scarce.
Up to date, the most common physiological parameters, or “health indicators”, evaluated in organisms from aquaponics systems are those related to production performance aspects, including growth and feed conversion ratio1,2,3. Although valuable in terms of productivity, these parameters aren’t indicators of the immunological features of the organisms, and their capacity to overcome disease presentation, making it necessary to include a more comprehensive approach. Likewise, recently, some efforts have been made to understand, from an integrative perspective, the role of disease presentation in aquaponics systems4,5. However, differences in the design of systems, the lack of direct comparison of aquaponics technology with traditionally closed-systems, species, water, sizes and stocking densities of fish, and composition of feed and feeding rates, still make difficult to fully identify a beneficial interaction between aquaponics and aquatic species to improve health and control disease presentation.
Elucidating this important issue in a complex system, such as aquaponics, requires the implementation of comprehensive strategies, including: i) in vivo infection challenges, ii) multi-omics approach, and iii) functional studies. This information will help for a better understanding of the relationships between aquatic organisms to aquaponics during adverse events like disease.