Effects of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) on nutrient regime and fish growth | |
| Author | Chughtai, Muhammad Arif |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. AE-95-38 |
| Subject(s) | Fishes--Feeding and feeds Aquatic plants |
| Note | A thesis submitted to the partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources, and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The nutrient utilisation capacity and productivity of water spinach and its effects on water quality in intensive catfish culture were investigated during this study. This experiment was coducted in twelve earthen ponds (2m x lOm x 0.9m each) with four treatments of 0%, 253, 503, and 753 cover of water spinach (lpomoea aquatica)@ 6 kg/m2 and hybrid catfish (Clarias macrocephalus X Clarias gariepinus) was stocked@ 0.75 kg/m2 in all ponds. Floating pellets were used to feed the fish for the two months. The dense algal growth developed which wrapped and clogged the plant roots and affected plant uptake of nutrients. The plant was also seriously attacked by insects and damaged the plant leaves which retarted the plant growth and production. The overall nutrient uptake efficiency by water spinach was 8-16% of nitrogen and 1.4- 2. 7 % of phosphorus from the estimated total nutrients released as catfish metabolic wastes. The plant production (dry matter) ranged from 1.10 to 3.82 g/m2/day. Catfish gained 51-63% nitrogen and 54-70% phosphorus nutrient of the total input feed nutrient. There was no significant difference in net fish production in all treatments which averaged 3 kg/m2 • In general, the water quality conditions of pH, total alkalinity, ammonia nitrogen concentration, total nitrogen concentration and total phosphorus in treatment C (50% cover) and D (75 % cover) were significantly found better as compared to treatment A (no cover) and B (25 % ) . However, the dissolved oxygen concentration was significantly higher in treatment A (no cover) among all treatments |
| Year | 1995 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Lin, C. Kwei |
| Examination Committee(s) | Edwards, Peter;Kamtorn Kaewpaitoon |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Pakistan |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1995 |