Study on effect of aquaponics farming technique on greenhouse (polyhouse) planted tomatoes.

Introduction:

Aquaponics is bio-integrated system that links Aquaculture (fresh water fish farming) and hydroponics (cultivation without soil) with vegetable, flowers or herbs cultivation. The system relies on fish waste to supply nutrient to plants growth, in terns, the plants (nitrification in soil by Nitrobactor sp bacteria) clean, filter, and recycle water back to the fish creating a symbiotic relationship. In India, Aquaponic could serve model for sustainable farming, especially in combination Vigyan ashram has co nducted with advance farming technique like greenhouse / polyhouse various experimental trials on farming and high density aquaculture. aquaponics terrace garden and commercial farming during in Aquaponics farming would be effective used particularly 2011-13. These trials showed that under controlled, semi-control greenhouse farming technique vegetable like spinach, tomato, with following important advantages - brinjal (egg plant), and vine crops can be successfully grown in • Increased productivity by integration of fish and aquaponics system. Result of plants (high density farming). these trials are published on- • Sustainable farming through nutrients recycling from www.wordpress.com/vigyanashram.com fish waste. • Water re-use through biological filtration, especially in water scarcity area of arid zone. • Fresh water high density fish farming in artificial farm tanks.

Vigyan ashram has conducted experiment several trials on this technique, to test its feasibility of in Indian contest. The trials are conducted to test aquaponics application as terrace garden (urban agriculture), commercial vegetable farming trials under polyhouse farming for cucumber, spinach and tomato cultivation. This article mainly deals with recent experiment trial of aquaponics on tomato cultivation at Vigyan ashram, Pabal.

Study purpose:

Purpose of trial was to study “Effect of aquaponics farming technique on yield tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crop, grown under polyhouse farming”.

Material and methods:

A field experiment was conducted to study effect of aquaponics technique on tomato crop during October 2013 to April 2014 at Vigyan ashram, Pabal. Tomato crop (Nowara variety) was cultivated in polyhouse (natural ventilated), using plastic trough beds with drainage system and 1ft deep red lateritic soil. Following are the details of experiment design -

• Experiment was designed with 2 set of treatments as aquaponics and control plot in 22 * 12 M naturally ventilated polyhouse. • For aquaponics treatment plants were supplied water from farm tank (HDPE plastic paper lined) of approximately 90000 lit (3190.00 Ft 3) capacity and containing 12 Kg of Tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus ). • Growing beds are filled with red lateritic soil with maximum water filtration capacity. • Water from fish tank was used for aquaponics treatment beds after passing through disc filter. • Excess water from aquaponics beds was collected through; drainage line (75 mm half cut PVC pipe) fixed to each bed and sent back to fish tank. • Control treatment were having same growing media and drainage system with only difference of normal water use (without fish water source), for irrigation. • Tomato seedlings of Nowara variety (sourced from – KF biotech, Pune, Maharashtra ) were planted at spacing of 1 * 0.45 meter (total of 153 plants in 13 beds- Aquaponics – 7 beds & Control- 6 Beds). • For both beds, water is supplied through drip irrigation system at 1.5 Kg pressure with average discharge of 23 Lit / min / bed. • All plants (Control & Aquaponics) are supplied with basal dose of FYM @ 0.5 Kg / plant. In addition to this foliar spaying was used to meet macro & micro nutrient demand.

Experiment records:

Vegetative growth

• Control and aquaponics plots are compared for plant height, number shoots and number of flowers per plant, during first 90 days of active vegetative growth. • 4 Plants from each bed (control & aquaponics) were tagged for recording vegetative growth parameters. • T- Test were calculated to ensure significance of data @ P=<0.05.

Yield comparison

• Each row from aquaponics and control treatment was harvested separated for recording weight of fruits/ row. • T-test were calculated to ensure significant of data @ P=<0.05. • Fish growth was recorded for selected 10 fingerlings (kept separately in cage) with 60 days interval.

Water quality parameters

• Fish tank water was analyzed at monthly interval for recording level of Ammonia (NH3), Nitrate (NO3) and Nitrite (NO2). • Soil samples from both treatments are analyzed for their nutrient content at start and end of trial.

Result and discussion:

Different vegetative growth factors of crop recorded during first 90 days of growth, as that of plant height, number shoot and number of flowers per plant. Data represented in below table-1, shows average records of selected plants from each bed for aquaponics and control treatment.

Similarly yield of each bed was recorded separately and compared with T-test analysis at 0.05 % level of significance with null hypothesis saying there is no different in 2 sets of treatment. Data represented in table-2 shows total harvest per bed.

Table No-1: Vegetative growth record of selected plants -

Average Average plant plant Average Average Average Average Aquaponics height Control height T-test Aquaponics number Control number T-test Aquaponics number Control number T-test plants (cm) plant (Cm) p=<0.05 plants of shoots plant of shoots p=<0.05 plants of buds plant of buds p=<0.05 A1 284 H1 247 A1 41 H1 27 A1 89 H1 88 A2 298 H2 279 A2 29 H2 26 A2 83 H2 96 A3 298 H3 260 A3 41 H3 25 A3 91 H3 85 A4 286 H4 285 A4 33 H4 23 A4 84 H4 91 B1 290 I1 273 B1 32 I1 27 B1 76 I1 91 B2 270 I2 270 B2 32 I2 30 B2 82 I2 84 B3 280 I3 254 B3 29 I3 23 B3 76 I3 84 B4 289 I4 268 B4 36 I4 31 B4 82 I4 90 C1 292 J1 262 C1 35 J1 18 C1 86 J1 83 C2 280 J2 272 C2 25 J2 21 C2 74 J2 87 C3 279 J3 250 C3 24 J3 20 C3 75 J3 81 C4 273 J4 292 C4 31 J4 29 C4 84 J4 83 D1 276 K1 290 D1 23 K1 23 D1 72 K1 78 D2 256 K2 275 D2 23 K2 26 D2 75 K2 72 D3 236 K3 278 D3 24 K3 23 D3 76 K3 76 D4 261 K4 265 D4 20 K4 24 D4 71 K4 82 E1 288 l1 198 E1 31 l1 15 E1 86 l1 64 E2 278 L2 272 E2 24 L2 15 E2 83 L2 75 E3 307 L3 277 E3 29 L3 23 E3 87 L3 90 E4 269 L4 269 E4 32 L4 20 E4 90 L4 83 F1 286 M1 251 F1 31 M1 26 F1 95 M1 92 F2 264 M2 269 F2 31 M2 29 F2 79 M2 94 F3 288 M3 279 F3 21 M3 32 F3 86 M3 99 F4 266 M4 287 F4 27 M4 35 F4 91 M4 99 G1 281 G1 27 G1 90 G2 278 G2 25 G2 84 G3 283 0.009 G3 24 G3 85 0.14 G4 272 (NS) G4 30 0.005 G4 82 (NS) As show in above table, there was no significant difference for effect of aquaponics treatment over average plant height and number of flowers (buds) per plant. The maximum average height of 298 Cm recorded in aquaponics treatment as compare to 292 Cm in control treatment. As far as average numbers of buds were concern, control treatment recorded highest of 99 buds/plant as compare to 95 buds/plants in aquaponics treatment.

In case of average number of shoots per plants, this is found that they are significantly higher in aquaponics treatment as compare to control. In aquaponics treatment highest number o f shoots per plant were 41, as compare to 35 shoot in control treatment.

Yield of crop –

This was found that all aquaponics treatment beds produced more tomatoes expect bed number six. The average yield of aquaponics treatment was 55.37 Kg / bed as compare to 46.10 Kg / bed in control treatment. Similarly average yield per plant was recorded 3.26 Kg in aquaponics as compare to 2.71 Kg in control treatment. This shows 20 % increase in average yield of tomato per plant in aquaponics treatment.

70.00

60.00

50.00 40.00 Aquaponics 30.00 Control 20.00

10.00

0.00 1 2 3 4 5 6

Table -2: Yield record per bed.

Yield row Aquaponics treatment Control treatment wise Date of A B C D E F G Total H I J K L M Total harvesting 16.01.2014 3.89 2.67 2.80 1.18 2.56 1.74 2.65 17.49 4.07 2.14 2.35 2.25 0.82 4.93 16.56 20.01.2014 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 4.00 26.01.2014 3.17 2.21 2.80 2.15 3.16 3.17 3.48 20.14 2.98 2.07 1.97 4.22 1.91 1.58 14.73 30.01.2014 0.00 0.77 0.62 0.09 0.90 0.61 0.32 3.32 0.58 0.12 0.11 0.24 0.37 1.22 2.63 05.02.2014 2.65 1.00 0.96 0.54 0.29 0.68 0.47 6.59 0.39 1.02 1.02 0.35 0.68 2.55 6.00 12.02.2014 1.92 1.87 2.97 1.80 3.00 2.78 2.10 16.43 3.16 2.24 3.50 3.11 4.62 4.13 20.76 19.02.2014 5.51 1.98 2.79 1.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 11.46 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.02.2014 4.64 5.15 5.20 3.78 7.32 6.26 6.04 38.40 4.97 3.14 5.13 4.09 5.06 4.88 27.26 23.02.14 1.00 1.10 0.00 2.31 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.41 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.10 27.02.2014 8.92 3.28 6.90 4.97 6.21 5.58 6.41 42.27 6.66 6.63 7.13 4.82 4.89 6.50 36.62 6.03.2014 6.83 5.51 5.08 6.88 3.62 6.97 7.30 42.19 3.08 5.08 4.18 3.17 4.14 8.35 28.01 11.03.2014 5.18 5.04 2.65 3.15 2.95 4.45 3.22 26.64 1.64 0.89 2.41 2.53 1.36 4.51 13.35 19.03.2014 0.95 3.39 1.18 1.20 2.04 3.41 2.43 14.58 3.15 1.32 1.99 1.25 1.52 3.71 12.93 26.03.2014 3.74 7.83 4.97 3.65 5.68 8.12 8.81 42.81 4.87 4.03 3.84 3.42 3.90 6.39 26.45 05.04.2014 8.31 6.35 8.23 5.25 10.05 10.29 10.96 59.44 7.88 6.08 5.26 4.38 3.90 3.25 30.74 09.04.2014 1.27 0.69 1.72 1.93 1.79 1.30 1.58 10.28 0.65 1.38 0.32 1.25 1.13 1.95 6.69 13.04.2014 4.25 4.09 3.06 3.52 4.41 5.52 6.28 31.12 3.09 4.62 4.33 5.28 4.43 8.07 29.81 Total 62.23 52.92 51.93 43.58 53.98 60.88 62.06 387.57 47.16 40.75 44.53 41.46 39.71 63.02 276.6 Yield per bed Average 55.37 46.10 per bed Average 3.26 2.71 per plant T-test analysis of yield assuming equal variance-

Aquaponics Control Mean 55.37 46.10 Variance 46.80 76.17 Observations 7.00 6.00 Pooled Variance 60.15 Hypothesized Mean Difference 0.00 df 11.00 t Stat 2.15 P(T<=t) one-tail 0.03 t Critical one-tail 1.80 P(T<=t) two-tail 0.05 t Critical two-tail 2.20

The T-test analysis of tomato yield, showed that yield of aquaponics treatment is significantly higher that control treatment at 0.05 % level of significance. The critical T (1.80), at 11 degrees of freedom and at 0.05 % level of significant was lower than calculate t (2.15), so null hypothesis which say there is significant difference between aquaponics and control treatment was rejected.

Soil analysis results –

Soil samples from both treatments are analyzed for pH, Electrical conductivity (EC), Organic carbon (OC) and major-minor nutrients. Soil analysis results showed (Table-3) that Organic carbon (OC) content and nitrogen in aquaponics treatment remained higher as compare to control beds. Organic carbon and nitrogen content in aquaponics was higher in aquaponics at start of trial, due to earlier trial residues in beds. Table-3: Soil analysis result.

SOIL ANALYSIS RESULT Results EC OC N Treatment pH(ppm) (ms/cm) (%) (Kg/He) P(Kg/He) K(Kg/He) Zn (ppm) Cu(ppm) Fe(ppm) Mn(ppm) Date of Test- Aquaponics 7.4 0.22 0.66 0.38 32 210 1.71 7.15 1.19 28.95 29/10/2013 Control 6.7 0.7 0.18 0.10 36 132 1.12 2.96 2.02 22.33

Date of Test- Aquaponics 7.9 0.12 0.51 0.30 15 106 0.69 1.06 1.1 15.36 15/04/2014 Control 7.9 0.46 0.37 0.21 18 146 1.23 1.7 2.25 25.01

Electrical conductivity (EC) of soil in aquaponics found less than control soil, this was due to leaching of extra salts back to fish tank, whereas in control bed it higher due to salts deposition through irrigation water.

Fish growth:-

Table-4 showed, fish growth rate (increase in weight of selected 10 fish fingerlings) in fish tank. Data showed that weight of fish grown from 2gm of initial weight to maximum of 109 gm during 120-130 days of trail. This shows potential of fish production in aquaponics system.

Table-4 : Fish growth record.

Sr.No Fish Growth record (wt in gms) 30.10.2013 31.12.2013 2.03.2014 1 2 25 80 2 3 25 109 3 2 20 88 4 5 22 65 5 5 19 70 6 6 32 35 7 7 19 48 8 9 19 40 9 2 20 30 10 3 20 42

Summary:

A trial was conducted to study effect of aquaponics technique on tomato crop under polyhouse farming. Aquaponics system was setup using plastic trough beds with drainage system and red lateritic soil as growing media. Tilapia fish was reared in plastic paper line farm tank and same water was used for aquaponics treatment. Tomato plants are planted with 2 treatment sets as Aquaponics and control (without fish tank water). It was found that aquaponics treatment significantly produced more number of shoots per plant as compare to control treatment. The average yield of aquaponics plots (beds) were 55.37 kg and compare to 46.10 Kg of control beds. Under t-test analysis, aquaponics treatment found significantly different than control at 0.05 % level of significance.

Acknowledgement:

We are very thankful to Department of Science & Technology (SEED Division) and Mr. Diamond Meghaji for their support and guidance for carrying out this experiment.

Photographs:-

Plastic troughs (beds) with drainage facility Tomato seedling (1 week old)

Tomato crop (4 week old) Tomato crop (fruiting stage)