CRYOPRESERVED SEMEN OF <i>Piaractus orinoquensis</i> (SERRASALMIDAE): POST-THAW STORAGE TIMES AND ACTIVATING SOLUTIONS

Piaractus orinoquensis is a native species from the Colombian Orinoquia and several studies have contributed to the standardization of protocols for seminal cryopreservation of this species. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the sperm motility, duration of sperm motility (DM), pH, sperm membrane integrity (SMI) and fertility of semen cryopreserved for seven years and subjected to different post-thaw storage times (PST). Semen from five males (3.04 ± 0.3 kg) was diluted 1:4 (semen:diluent) with 10 % dimethylsulfoxide, 5.5 % glucose and 12 % egg yolk in 4 mL macrotubes and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Four PST were evaluated: 0, 15, 45 and 60 min. The sperm cells were activated with 1 % NaHCO3 (SB) and 0.9 % NaCl (SC) to determine sperm motility, DM, fertility rate, SMI and pH through PST. Significative motility reduction (p < .05) was observed through the PST and between the PST of 0 and 60 min for DM, both for treatments activated with SB and with SC. The SMI had a significant reduction (p < .05) after 60 min of post-thaw storage and the pH did not vary during PST. The fertility rate decreased significantly (p < .05) between time 0 and 60 min of PST. PST affects the seminal quality and fertility of P. orinoquensis, the best fertilization results were obtained by activating post-thawing sperm motility with 1 % SB. The long-term cryopreserved semen (seven years) of the species maintains its fertilization capacity with values like those obtained with fresh sperm.