Productivity and economics of rotated culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings with wheat and clover under semi-intensive culture system in earthen ponds

Galal, Mansour Ibrahim

doi:10.21608/jades.2016.67384

Productivity and economics of rotated culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings with wheat and clover under semi-intensive culture system in earthen ponds

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mansour Ibrahim Galal

Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menofyia University

10.21608/jades.2016.67384

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of rotated fish culture with field crops (wheat and clover) under semi-intensive production system in the earthen fish ponds on growth performance, water quality parameters, chemical composition of whole body, yield of clover and wheat as well as the economical profit. Experimental fish were randomly distributed in three experimental treatments with three replicates each (control, fish rotated with wheat and fish rotated with clover) reared in earthen ponds. The experimental ponds stocked with 240 Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings (4 fish/m²) with an average initial weight of 40.21g in nine earthen ponds each of 60m² (5×12m²). The study lasted from May 2014 to April 2015. Fish culture extends from May to September 2014, while crop culture extends from October 2014 to April 2015. Experimental fish fed on a commercial diet containing 30% protein and 4291Kcal /kg diet, with 3% feeding rate of total fish biomass/day for 6 days a week and the diet was introduced twice-daily at 9.00 am and 2.00 pm.
Results obtained showed no significant differences between the three treatments with respect to growth performance of the fish, while there was an increasing in soil properties after the end of fish culture as well as increase in crops productivity. Also, it was found that rotated tilapia culture with wheat was more profitable than that with clover or and is profitable than control treatment.

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