Lime requirement of pond soils for aquaculture around Cochin backwaters

Abstract

The use of lime in pond fish culture has been advocated by fish culturists over a large part of the world. Liming increases the pH of bottom mud and thereby increases the availability of phosphorous added as fertilizer. The application of lime to improve the fertility as well as production is already being practiced by traditional farmers and aquaculturists in the culture systems bordering the Cochin Backwaters and the Vembanad Lake. In the present investigation soil samples were collected from different seasonal and perennial prawn culture fields during the premonsoon and monsoon seasons. The samples were estimated for their lime requirement during both the seasons.