Effects of the Aqueous Leaf Extract Of Basella Alba on Sex Reversal of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis Niloticus

Three days old mixed sex juveniles of Nile tilapia (mean weight 0.025 ± 0.009 g; mean length 1.25 ± 0.012 cm) were treated by immersion method with aqueous leaf extract of Basella alba (ALEB) at the concentration of 0.0, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 g/l for four weeks. The highest survival percentage (93.8±1.3) was observed in 0.15 g/l group, but there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in survival percentage among the different treatment groups. The highest percentage of males (70.3±1.9) was observed in 0.1 g/l group and it was significantly higher (P<0.05) compared to all other treatment categories. Immersion treatment with ALEB caused significant increase (P<0.05) in percentage of males compared to that in untreated control. The extract showed presence of phytochemicals such as tannins, saponins, steroids and alkaloids, which might be associated with its androgenic property.