STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF FISH POND EFFLUENT ON THE GROWTH OF Pistia stratiotes.(L)

ABSTRACT

The experiment was carried out to study the effect of fish pond effluent on Pistia stratiotes grown in different concentrations of fish pond effluent ( 0%, 12.5%, 50%,100%) obtained from fish ponds located at Iguana village in Ikpogba Oka LGA. Each treatment was replicated five times .The results showed the effect of the fish pond effluent on Pistia stratiotes was concentration dependent. There was a significant increase of 0.5 in percentage survival with increasing effluent concentration. The number of leaves and stolon in 50% and 100% concentration of fish pond effluent had the highest value of 49.4±7.3 and 49.6±5.3 respectively while 12.5% and 0% had the least values of 32.2±8.9 and 36.4±5.3 respectively. Leaf area, fresh weight, dry weight and chlorophyll content showed a significant increase with increase in effluent concentration. The result demonstrated that Pistia stratiotes was able to use up the nutrients in the fish pond effluent hence reducing pollutants in the pond water. This work demonstrated that Pistia stratiotes can use up nutrient in the effulent to grow properly thereby reducing the amount of pollutant present in the effluent .