# Effects of duration of a plant-based diet stimulus at first feeding on nutritional programming in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

## TL;DR

This study explores how early exposure to plant-based diets affects Atlantic salmon's ability to adapt to future plant-based feeds.

## Contribution

The study reveals that the duration of early dietary exposure influences gene expression and intestinal structure in salmon.

## Key findings

- Shorter early exposure to plant-based diets upregulated genes for LC-PUFA biosynthesis.
- Longer exposure downregulated most transcription factors.
- Shorter exposure increased intestinal muscle thickness and reduced goblet cells.

## Abstract

Nutritional programming could potentially be a strategy for sustainable aquaculture to adapt fish to feeds formulated with low levels of marine ingredients. The present study examined the effects of early dietary stimulus duration and the impacts of a later challenge with a similar diet. At first feeding, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry of ~ 0.15 g initial weight were fed a vegetable diet (77% plant-based ingredients) for either 1 (V1) or 2 weeks (V2), while a control group (M) received a marine diet (86% marine-based ingredients) for the 2 weeks (stimulus phase). All fish then received a marine diet for 16 weeks (intermediate phase) before being refed a vegetable diet for 6 weeks (challenge phase). Water temperature was 13 °C during the trial, and the only difference between the three experimental groups (V1, V2 and M) was their dietary regime during the first 2 weeks. Obviously, stimulus duration had no phenotypic impacts on growth or tissue fatty acid compositions of either total or polar lipids after challenge. However, the expressions of key genes of LC-PUFA biosynthesis were upregulated significantly in the V1 group, whereas the expressions of most transcription factors were downregulated in the V2 group. After the challenge, the circular muscle thickness of the intestine in the V1 group was increased by 15%, and goblet cell numbers were reduced by 15%. Overall, further investigations about the duration of the stimulus and assessment with longer challenges are required to elicit positive effects and to refine the use of nutritional programming in Atlantic salmon.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10695-026-01639-7.