Eeffects of urea super granule (usg) on the limnological parameters of pond and fish production

Abstract

Abstract : The efficacy of urea super granule (USG) was found out comparing its effects on pond productivity and fish production with that of normal granular urea. There were two treatments with two replicates of each. Treatment 1 was designed with fortnightly application of USG (50 kg/ha), TSP (25 kg/ha) and cow dung (1000 kg/ha) while treatment 2 was designed with fortnightly application of normal granular urea (50 kg/ha), TSP (25 kg/ha) and cow dung (1000 kg/ha). The ponds were stocked with seven carp species with a stocking density of 40 fingerlings/decimal. Variation in water and soil quality parameters, plankton population and gross production of fish were used to compare the effectiveness of the two types of urea. Although most of the water quality parameters were within the acceptable range for fish culture in both the treatments but dissolved oxygen, nitrate-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus were significantly higher (P<0.05) in treatment 1 where USG was used. Quantitatively, plankton population was significantly higher (P<0.05) in treatment 1. There was no significant variation (P>0.05) between the treatments regarding soil quality parameters and gross production of fish but the economic analysis revealed a relatively higher net profit in treatment 1.