On-Farm Evaluation of Indian Major Carp Production with Sugarcane Bagasse as Substrate for Periphyton

Abstract

To study the effect of sugarcane bagasse as an artificial substrate for periphyton in fish ponds, an on-farm polyculture experiment was carried out, stocking catla (Catla catla), rohu (Labeo rohita) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in an 800 m 2 earthen pond partitioned into eight 100 m 2 compartments with fine meshed nylon netting. Fifty catla and 25 each of common carp and rohu were stocked per compartment and grown for 180 days. Sugarcane bagasse bundles (length 80 cm, diameter 3.3 cm) at densities of 0, 39, 78 and 156 (or 0, 7.0, 13.7 and 28.2 kg 100 m -2 ) were hung in two compartments each as a substrate. Supplemental feed (a 1:1mixture of groundnut cake and rice bran) was provided in one replicate of each substrate density at a rate of 5% body weight during the first half and 3% throughout the second half of the experiment. Water quality and periphyton biomass were monitored at fortnightly and monthly intervals, respectively.