UTILIZING VILLAGE WATER BODIES FOR POLYCULTURE OF FISH AND PRAWN: ROLE OF INPUTS IN PRODUCTION ENHANCEMENT

A field study on participatory technology development (PTD) approaches was taken up in the southern transitional zone (Zone 7) of Karnataka in village water bodies leased by the Grama Panchayat. Polyculture of Indian Major Carps catla and rohu with freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii was investigated. The experimental water bodies were of the size 0.8 to 1.0 ha, having an average depth of 1.8 m to 2 m. After observing pre-stocking management measures, the water bodies were stocked with fingerlings of catla and rohu at 0.5 /m2each and juveniles of prawn at1/m2. In T1, replicate water bodies received cow dung as manure at 6 t/ha, applied in split doses of 375 kg once every fortnight and the fish were fed at the rate of 3% of body weight daily in the morning hours. Water bodies receiving only cow dung at 6t/ha were designated T2. Two water bodies without either of the inputs served as the control and were designated as T3. The average total production in T1 treatment was significantly higher at 3401.40 kg/ha compared to T2 and T3, which recorded 1674.25 kg/ha and 975.75 kg/ha production respectively. Production of the prawn was 544.50 kg/ha, 146.75 kg/ha and 45.25 kg/ha in T1, T2, and T3 treatments. The average survival rate of fish was 83.41%, 54.39%, and 32.16%, while that of the prawn was 64.55%, 34.65% and 28.6% respectively. The study indicates that use of manure and feed in polyculture of fish and prawns could be a viable strategy for enhancing productivity and profitability in village water bodies.