INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY

Volume 15, No. 03, Month JULY, Year 2019, Pages 425 - 444

Changes in phytoplankton populations within integrated culture systems of caged nile tilapia with open-pond pacific white shrimp and giant freshwater prawn

Kulabtong, S., Wudtisin, I, Areechon, N. and Yoonpundh, R.

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The phytoplankton population in cage culture systems in earthen ponds was reported. The results can be used as a guideline for effective management planning of such system. The changes in phytoplankton numbers were studied at three tilapia farms in Ratchaburi Province, Western Thailand. The two ponds were sampled every month for two crops in each farm in a study period of three months. A total of 36 species of phytoplankton were recorded. Green algae were dominant in terms of the number of species (21 species), and blue-green algae were dominant in terms of quantity (78.5% of average total density). The density of phytoplankton in the ponds increased as the culture period progressed. The average phytoplankton density was between 66,003.2 cells/L and 188,187.2 cells/L. The ecological indices showed that the diversity of the phytoplankton decreased and some species of phytoplankton were more prominent than others duration study period. It can be concluded that the relationship between phytoplankton and environmental factors was increased in phytoplankton volume in the pond and related to water-quality factors. The accumulation of waste in ponds is related to change in phytoplankton population, namely: total suspended solids (TSS) in water (r = 0.563), total ammonia (r = 0.514), nitrite (r = 0.521), total nitrogen (r = 0.722), phosphate-phosphorus (r = 0.558) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) (r = 0.530).

Keywords

Nile tilapia, Pacific white shrimp, Giant freshwater prawn, cage culture, pond culture

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