Project title: Organic matter and nutrients build up in fishpond sediment and their uses in agriculture
PhD student: Md. Mizanur Rahman
Short description of the proposed research:
Inland aquaculture is one of the promising livelihoods in Asian countries. However, a major part of organic and inorganic inputs to the ponds remain unused, which results in nutrient build up in ponds. Overtime, accumulation of sediments reduces the capacity of fishponds. Use of such pond sediment as fertilizer supplements in crop production has been practiced in many Asian countries. Although application of pond sediment increases crop yields, scientific information on the nutritive value of sediments under different culture management practices and its potential as a fertilizer supplement and soil conditioner is still scarce.
The overall objective of the study is to develop a strategy to use fishpond sediment in sustainable agriculture-aquaculture integrated farming systems. The specific objectives of this PhD study are to:
1. Quantify organic matter and elementary nutrients accumulation in pond sediment of tilapia culture system,
2. Measure the effects of pond sediment on soil physical and chemical properties,
3. Quantify the effects of physical and chemical properties of pond sediment on crop yield
Composition of the scientific support project group:
Dr. Amararatne Yakupitiyage, Chairman, AARM, AIT-Bangkok
Dr. S.L. Ranamukhaarachchi, Co-chairman, ASE, AIT-Thailand
Dr. Yang Yi, Member, AARM, AIT-Bangkok-Thailand