Influence of pond fertilization and feeding rate on growth performance, economic returns and water quality in a small-scale cage-cum-pond integrated system for production of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

The effects of pond fertilization and feeding rate on growth, economic returns and water quality were investigated to develop a low‐cost cage‐cum‐pond integrated system for production of Oreochromis niloticus (L.). Hand‐sexed male fingerlings averaging 19±0.39 and 32±0.69 g were stocked in cages and open ponds at 150 fish cage^?1 and 2 fish m^?2 respectively. Fish were cultured for 114 days in five triplicate treatments. Cages were installed into ponds and caged fish were fed a 24% protein diet at 3% (T1) and 6% (T2) body weight day^?1 (BWD) without pond fertilization, and 6% BWD with pond fertilization (T3). The open water in the fourth treatment (T4) was not stocked but contained caged fish, which were fed 6% BWD for the first 57 days followed by 3% BWD for the remaining period. Ponds in the control (T5) had no cages and were neither fertilized nor open‐pond fish fed. Feeding rate and pond fertilization significantly (P<0.05) affected fish growth, profitability and water quality among treatments. Fish growth, feed utilization, fish yield, water quality and profits were significantly (P<0.05) better in T3 than the other treatments. It was concluded that fish production and economic returns were optimized at 6% BWD in fertilized ponds.     

Genetic Advancement of Newly Developed Wheat Populations Under Drought-Stressed and Non-Stressed Conditions

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Genetic variation and heritability estimates in early generations are important in identifying superior families that can be targeted for genetic...     

A rapid assessment of landscape biodiversity using diversity profiles of arthropod morphospecies

Context

The assessment of land-use impacts on biodiversity is one of the central themes of landscape ecology and conservation biology. However, due to the complexity of biodiversity, it is impossible to obtain complete information about the diversity of all species even for small areas, necessitating the selection of individual species or assemblages thereof as species surrogate. In parts of the world where taxonomic expertise is lacking, species identification has hindered progress in biodiversity conservation, and the only practical, relatively-accurate option, is the use of taxonomic minimalism.

Objective

We carried out a rapid biodiversity assessment based on three surrogates—land-use (driver-surrogate), terrestrial arthropods (species-surrogate) and morphospecies (taxonomic-surrogate)—to determine the impacts of land-use on biodiversity of the Western Region (Ghana), an area covering ~4 % of the West African biodiversity hotspot.

Method

We used diversity profiles to visualize the distribution of a total of 8848 arthropod individuals over seven land-use types which define the complete heterogeneity of the landscape.

Results

Here, we present both sample and asymptotic diversity profiles of arthropod morphospecies for each land-use type and the potential of each land-use type for conserving arthropods.

Conclusions

We conclude that (1) the morphospecies approach is useful for detecting differences in species diversity of land-use types; (2) the concept of asymptotic diversity may not be necessary for land-use based biodiversity comparison; and (3) maximum diversity profiles are useful for determining the land-use conservation values in cases where pristine areas are not available.

     

Soil organic carbon storage and quality are impacted by corn cob biochar application on a tropical sandy loam

Purpose

Humic substances, which are integral components of total organic carbon (TOC), influence soil quality. The study aimed to investigate whether humic and non-humic fractions exhibit early, consistent, and measurable changes and affect TOC sensitivity and storage in a tropical sandy loam soils amended with corn cob biochar.

Materials and methods

There were four treatments with four replicates established in a randomized complete block design. Composite soil samples were taken from plots without biochar (CT), from plots incorporated with 15 t biochar ha^?1 (BC-15), and 30 t biochar ha^?1 without or with phosphate fertilizer (BC-30 and BC-30+P). The TOC, and humin, humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (HA) fractions of soil organic carbon were determined for each treatment. The optical densities (400–700 nm) were measured on the soil-free extracts by spectrophotometry; the densities measured at 465 and 665 nm were used to calculate the E₄₆₅/E₆₆₅ ratios.

Results and discussion

The BC-30 and BC-30+P plots recorded the highest TOC, humin, humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA) contents with respect to the lowest in the CT. The total exchangeable carbon stratification was significantly higher in all the biochar-treated plots relative to the CT. Spectral analysis showed higher values of E₄₆₅/E₆₆₅ (5.02 and 5.15) in the CT and BC-15-treated soils, respectively, compared with the BC-30 and BC-30+P-amended soils with E₄₆₅/E₆₆₅ ratios of 2.76 and 2.98, respectively.

Conclusions

Corn cob biochar applied to a tropical sandy loam:

? increased the concentrations of HA and FA and led to increased stratification of TOC, with a stronger effect on HA compared with FA;

? significantly lowered E₄₆₅/E₆₆₅ at the high biochar application rate of 30 t ha^?1, implying the dominance of high molecular weight humic acid-like substances, and increased degree of aromaticity of the TOC.

     

The effect of dialkylamine compounds and related derivatives of 1-methylcyclopropene in counteracting ethylene responses in banana fruit

Compounds that can block the ethylene receptor and be applied either as a gas or as a salt by spray or dip have been prepared and tested. Cyclopropenes with a methyl group in the 1-position, on which was attached a substituted amine, were allowed to evaporate in the presence of bananas that were treated with the gas. The minimum amount of a given compound required to inhibit chlorophyll degradation in the banana peel (an indicator of protective effect of the compound against ethylene action) that was subsequently exposed to ethylene, varied considerably depending on the compound, but N,N-dipropyl-(1-cyclopropenylmethyl)amine and N,N-di-(1-cyclopropenylmethyl)amine were the most effective. The degree of response to the ethylene inhibitory effect was similar for all of the compounds tested (32–34 d). The amount of cyclopropene compound required for inhibiting ethylene action following a 24 h exposure of bananas to the salt followed by a 15 h exposure to ethylene was higher than that required by the gas form used under the same conditions for the same effect. However, time of exposure could be much longer than 24 h with the salt than with the gas. The bananas treated with the salt do not need to be in an air-tight container, but could be used in open spaces. Only the banana peel appeared to be protected against ethylene during the 24 h interval when the salt was used. The pulp ripened upon exposure to ethylene.     

The relative influence of catchment and site variables on fish and macroinvertebrate richness in cerrado biome streams

Landscape and site-scale data analyses aid the interpretation of biological data and thereby help us develop more cost-effective natural resource management strategies. Our study focused on environmental influences on stream assemblages and we evaluated how three classes of environmental variables (geophysical landscape, land use and cover, and site habitat), influence fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage richness in the Brazilian Cerrado biome. We analyzed our data through use of multiple linear regression (MLR) models using the three classes of predictor variables alone and in combination. The four MLR models explained dissimilar amounts of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa richness (geophysical landscape R ² ≈ 35 %, land use and cover R ² ≈ 28 %, site habitat R ² ≈ 36 %, and combined R ² ≈ 51 %). For fish assemblages, geophysical landscape, land use and cover, site habitat, and combined models explained R ² ≈ 28 %, R ² ≈ 10 %, R ² ≈ 31 %, and R ² ≈ 47 % of the variability in fish species richness, respectively. We conclude that (1) environmental variables differed in the degree to which they explain assemblage richness, (2) the amounts of variance in assemblage richness explained by geophysical landscape and site habitat were similar, (3) the variables explained more variability in macroinvertebrate taxa richness than in fish species richness, and (4) all three classes of environmental variables studied were useful for explaining assemblage richness in Cerrado headwater streams. These results help us to understand the drivers of assemblage patterns at regional scales in tropical areas.     

Effects of partial and complete replacement of freshwater shrimp meal (Caridinea niloticus Roux) with a mixture of plant protein sources on growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) in fertilized ponds

Despite the well‐documented herbivorous food habits, commercial feeds for production of Oreochromis niloticus usually contain between 7% and 15% animal protein. However, animal protein feedstuffs are expensive, hence the need to search for cost‐effective alternatives in plant‐protein sources. Such alternatives are probably more effective in semi‐intensive systems where natural pond food forms part of the diet. This study evaluated the performance of O. niloticus after feeding diets in which fresh shrimp meal (SM) was gradually replaced by a mixture of plant‐protein sources in fertilized ponds. Three isonitronegenous (24% crude protein) diets containing 12 (control), 6% and 0% SM were fed to three groups of O. niloticus in four replicates per group for 250 days. Fish were fed daily at 2% body weight and sampled monthly to monitor growth and make feed adjustments. Growth, yields, survival and feed conversion ratio were not significantly different (P>0.05) among treatments. Growth of males was double that of females, while the sex ratio was skewed towards females. Although complete substitution of SM by plant protein did not affect the growth of tilapia, production cost was reduced by 36%. In conclusion, animal protein is not required in diets for production of O. niloticus in fertilized ponds.