Adaptation and feeding preference of Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) to different feeding levels in rice–turtle co-culture system

Rice–turtle co-culture is an ecological method involving a low exogenous input of chemicals and excessive feeding might increase the cost and reduce the mutual beneficial effect. To determine the optimal feeding level for co-cultured P. sinensis and for its adaptation, the turtles (878.0±10.3 g) were fed at feeding levels of 0.7 %, 1.4 % and 2.1 % for 90 days. The observation of feeding behavior showed that a low feeding level prompted the turtles to move into field paddies and prolonged their stay. The specific growth rate increased with increasing feeding level, but did not further increase when it exceeded 1.4 %, and the feed conversion ratio increased with increasing feeding level from 0.7 % to 2.1 %. The activities of digestive enzymes were higher in the group with a low feeding level. The plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels increased with increasing feeding level, while the creatinine level was significantly lower at a high feeding level of 2.1 %. The trend analysis of gene expression showed that the expression of most of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the brain decreased with increasing feeding levels from 0.7 % to 1.4 % and did not further decrease at a feeding level of 2.1 %, while in the gut, most of the genes were significantly downregulated or upregulated at a feeding level of 1.4 %. In the brain, the pathways associated with the DEGs were involved in the relaxin signaling pathway, melanogenesis and the age–rage signaling pathway in diabetic complications. In the gut, the DEGs were most associated with pancreatic secretion, protein digestion and absorption. The related genes expression was consistent with feeding behavior, growth and physiological metabolism. These findings suggest that co-cultured turtles can adapt to different feeding levels, that the optimal feeding level for co-cultured turtles is 1.4 %, and that additional feeding reduced the economic and ecological benefits of co-culture.