Effects of including catla and tilapia in a freshwater prawn–mola polyculture in a rotational rice–fish culture systems |
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| Authors: | Mrityunjoy Kunda M Ekram Azim M Abdul Wahab Somen Dewan M Abdul Majid & Shakuntala H Thilsted |
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| Institution: | Department of Fisheries Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh;
Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark |
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| Abstract: | An on-farm trial was carried out from February to June 2006 to evaluate the growth and production performance of catla ( Catla catla ) and tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) with freshwater prawn ( Macrobrachium rosenbergii ) and mola ( Amblypharyngodon mola ) in farmer's rice fields. In all treatments, 20 000 mola ha−1 and 20 000 prawn ha−1 were stocked. Besides, stocking included 2500 catla ha−1 in treatment-I, 2500 tilapia ha−1 in treatment-II and catla and tilapia at 1250 ha−1 each in treatment-III . Prawns were fed in the evening with pellets at a feeding rate of 3–8% body weight (initially 8% and gradually decreased to 3%). Catla and tilapia were fed in the morning with a paste of mustard oil cake and rice bran at a feeding rate of 3% body weight. Significantly higher combined production of fish and prawn observed was 2142 kg ha−1 in treatment-I. The benefit:cost ratio was found to be significantly higher in treatment-I than in treatment-II and there were no differences between treatments I and III. From the production and economic point of view, treatment-I was found to be the best proposition for the rotational rice–fish culture systems. |
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| Keywords: | mola freshwater prawn catla tilapia rice field alternate method |
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