ASSESSMENT OF SOIL QUALITY FOR AQUACULTURE ACTIVITIES FROM FOUR DIVISIONS OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN - J. Shafi; K. N. Waheed; Z. S. Mirza; M. Zafarullah (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2020)
Present study was based on determination of soil quality to assess its suitability for aquaculture activities from thirty-one selected areas situated in four division of Punjab. Results indicated that soil particle size distribution was suitable for construction of fish ponds at most of the sites in Lahore and Sahiwal. In Gujranwala, about 50% of soil samples contained higher sand content (>60%). Clay particles were found to be less than 25% in 75% of the soil samples whereas sand content was higher than 50% in 25% of the samples collected from Sargodha division. Higher soil pH (>7.0) found at all sites showed calcareous nature of soil and indicated that liming soil to increase pH was not a necessity in these areas. Soil at all the studied areas of Sargodha was found to be saline or very strongly saline except at Village Hernali in Mianwali district. It was found that about 83%, 100% and 80% of sites studied in Lahore, Sahiwal and Sargodha can be used for fish culture respectively. However, none of the site in Gujranwala was found to be suitable for aquaculture if used in present form. Appropriate soil management techniques can be adopted to use the land with unsuitable soil particle size distribution for aquaculture. Saline nature of soil in Sargodha division must be considered while selecting cultureable species of fish/ shrimps in these areas.
Keywords: journal article; Aquaculture; site selection; soil salinity; particle size distribution; clay turbidity; water seepage