| dc.description.abstract | The study was conducted to assess the growth, survival and production performance of Thai
sarpunti (Puntius gonionotus Bleeker), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Lin.) and rui (Labeo
rohita) under monoculture and polyculture systems in 9 farmers’ seasonal ditches over the
period of 120 days from January to April 2016. Experimental ditches were cleaned manually
and were limed at the rate of 250 kg ha-1 of quicklime (CaO). These were then fertilized with
urea and triple supper phosphate (TSP) at the rate of 25 kg ha-1. Nine ditches were divided
into three treatments each having three replicates and each ditch was stocked with fish
fry/fingerlings at the rate of 40,000 nos ha-1. Stocked fishes were fed with rice bran and wheat
flour as supplemental feed at the decreasing rate of 10-5% of total biomass for twice daily.
Water quality parameters such as temperature, transparency, dissolved oxygen, pH, total
alkalinity and ammonia were within suitable range for fish culture and any stress did not
observe in fishes. The highest average final weight of sarpunti (122.32 g), tilapia (102.58 g)
and rui (120.0 g) was obtained in T1, T2 and T3, respectively. It was found that the average
weight of sarpunti was decreased with the increases of fish species. The survival of all fish
species was found higher in T3 than T1 and T2. Among the treatments food conversion ratio
(FCR) of sarpunti was found lower in T1 (1.26) compared to T2 (1.38) and T3 (1.52),
respectively. Comparatively higher FCR of tilapia was estimated in T3 (2.12) than that of T2
(1.52). FCR of rui was found lower (1.10) than other two fish species under different
treatments. Significantly higher production of sarpunti was secured in T1 (3,446.13 kg ha-1)
than T2 (2,942.6 kg ha-1) and T3 (2,804.1 kg ha-1). It was observed that tilapia production was
better in T2 (2,786.07 kg ha-1) than T3 (2,172.52 kg ha-1). The combined production of
sarpunti, tilapia and rui was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T3 (8,341.41 kg ha-1) followed by
T2 (5,728.67 kg ha-1) and T1 (3,446.13 kg ha-1). The highest cost benefit ratio was achieved in
T3 (1.64:1) that of T1 (1.25:1) and T2 (1.30:1). From the results of the present study it may be
concluded that polyculture of sarpunti, tilapia and rui in seasonal ditches is the best than other
techniques for better fish production as well as for higher economic return in haor areas.
Therefore, the polyculture practice of sarpunti, tilapia and rui at a stocking density of 40,000
ha-1 and at a ratio of 2:1:1 may be suggested to disseminate at the fish farmers’ level for boost
up fish production in manifolds using the unutilized ditches. | en_US |
