Home Apparent nutrient utilization and metabolic growth rate of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, cultured in recirculating aquaculture and biofloc systems
Article Open Access

Apparent nutrient utilization and metabolic growth rate of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, cultured in recirculating aquaculture and biofloc systems

  • Muhamad Amin EMAIL logo , Agustono Agustono , Muhamad Ali , Prayugo Prayugo and Nurul Nadiah Mohd Firdaus Hum
Published/Copyright: June 20, 2022
Download Article (PDF)
Open Agriculture
From the journal Open Agriculture Volume 7 Issue 1

Abstract

Introduction

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and biofloc systems (BFS) have been considered eco-friendly aquaculture technologies in the last few decades. However, which system performs better has become a common question for fish farmers. Thus, this study aimed to compare the performances of the two aquaculture systems in culturing Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, larvae.

Materials and methods

The experiment was conducted by culturing 3-day post-hatching (dph) tilapia larvae in either the RAS or BFS for 43 days. At the end of the culture period, apparent net protein utilization (NPUa), apparent fat utilization (NFUa) and apparent net energy utilization (NEUa), metabolic growth rate (GRmet) of Nile tilapia, and water quality were compared using analysis of variance.

Results

The result showed, in general, that RAS performed better than BFS. NPUa and NEUa were significantly higher in Nile tilapia cultured in RAS than that of BFS, p < 0.05. While NFUa was not significantly different, p > 0.05. GRmet of tilapia cultured in BFS was higher in the first week but showed to be the same during the second week to the fourth week. At the end of the culture period (43 days), the GRmet of tilapia cultured in RAS was significantly higher than those of fish raised in the BFS. Other results showed that water quality parameters, including total ammonia nitrogen (TAN-N) and nitrite nitrogen (NO2–N), were lower in RAS than in BFS during the culture periods. While urea and CO2 were significantly higher in the rearing water of BFS than that of RAS, p < 0.05.

Conclusion

The RAS had better performance than the BFS in culturing tilapia larvae.

Keywords: nutrient utilization; RAS; BFS; tilapia larvae

1 Introduction

Aquaculture has recently received considerable interest from researchers, governments, and other stakeholders due to being considered the fastest-growing food-producing sector in the world [1]. Consequently, the aquaculture sector has been developing very fast in the last few decades. However, the fast-growing industries have been accompanied by continuous concerns in several aspects, from the quality and safety of the products to other environmental issues, including a large amount of water consumption and discharging of untreated aquaculture waste into environments [2]. Thus, environmental pollution has become one of the major issues faced in aquaculture industries nowadays in many countries, especially in those countries in which a flow-through aquaculture system is commonly practised [3,4]. To respond the issue, various strategies to reduce water usage and discharge less environmental pollution have been developed in the last few decades including closed aquaculture systems [5,6].

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and biofloc systems (BFS) have been considered eco-friendly aquaculture systems due to their ability to reduce aquaculture waste loaded into environments [7]. In addition, both aquaculture systems are able to minimize water usage and able to adjust rearing conditions, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, etc. [8]. The reduction of water use in the RAS is due to the help of nitrifying bacteria, which convert toxic waste such as ammonia and nitrite into less toxic compounds such as nitrate [9,10]. In addition, RAS offers advantages in terms of hygienic and disease management. However, the application of RAS has several issues, specifically in terms of investment and operational costs [4]. In addition, nitrate as the end product of ammonia and nitrite degradation will accumulate in the rearing water and when the concentration reached >120 mg L−1 it may cause some physiological disturbance for cultured fish [11]. Thus, the rearing water should be diluted by discharging rearing water to reduce nitrate concentration (<30 mg L−1). These issues make this system less common to be applied in developing countries including Indonesia. The other closed aquaculture system is the BFS. The main characterization of the aquaculture system is the retention of aquaculture wastes within the system and their conversion to natural feed for cultured animals [12]. The waste conversion is performed by heterotrophic bacteria, microalgae, and other microorganisms which are aggregated in terms of biofloc [13]. The biological mechanisms make BFS more efficient in energy use than that of RAS, therefore having better feed efficiency. This system has several weaknesses, such as difficulties in the formation of floc or keeping carbon and nitrogen (C/N) ratio, which can support the growth balance for ammonifiying bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria in the system.

Both closed aquaculture systems have been practised in many countries worldwide. However, a direct comparison of the two eco-friendly aquaculture systems in culturing tilapia larvae is still limited. Most studies performed separate studies and used bigger fish sizes, 10–11 g [14] and 39 g [15]. As a result, some questions such as which system gives better nutrient utilization or better growth in tilapia larvae have not been answered. This study aimed at comparing apparent net nutrient utilization and growth performances of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, larvae cultured in RAS and BFS. In addition, the stability of water quality parameters in the rearing systems was also reported.

2 Materials and methods

2.1 Aquaculture systems and rearing conditions

Two units of RAS where each unit consisted of five rearing tanks (@20 L) connected to a 120 L water purification tank. The purification tank consisted of three main units: (1) a sedimentation unit in which water came first from the rearing tank; (2) a nitrification unit with up-flow fixed media bio-filter (5 cm small plastics with ∼2 mm holes); and (3) a sump unit in which a heater, aeration system, and a pump were installed. Rearing water, which was physically and chemically safe for tilapia, was pumped back to the rearing tanks continuously at a 2 L min−1 flow rate. Water physicochemical characteristics were maintained on the safe levels for Nile tilapia larvae (pH: 6.5–8.5; temperature: 26–28°C; NH3 <0.53 mg L−1 NH3–N; NO2 <1.0 mg L−1; and DO >5 mg L−1). To stabilize pH levels, especially in RAS systems, NaHCOO3 were added based on feed input, Figure 1a. The RAS was started by firstly growing Nitrisomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria in the biofilter and feeding them with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) until at least 1 week. The other system was a BFS, with five units as replicates. Each unit consisted of a 120-L tank in which two aeration tubes were placed along the bottom tank to supply oxygen and to achieve a sufficient mixing rate of the water, and a heater connected to an automatic thermostat to control the water temperature (Figure 1b). both RAS and BFS were set in 12 h:12 h dark and light photoperiod.

Figure 1 (a) Experiment design for recirculating aquaculture system: RT is rearing tanks, (1) sedimentation unit, (2) nitrification unit, (3) sum unit; (b) 120-L tank of BFS.
Figure 1

(a) Experiment design for recirculating aquaculture system: RT is rearing tanks, (1) sedimentation unit, (2) nitrification unit, (3) sum unit; (b) 120-L tank of BFS.

2.2 Tilapia and feeding

This experiment was started with fertilized eggs (eyed eggs three days after fertilization) purchased from a commercial tilapia fingerling producer. The eggs were stocked in an incubator until hatching. One hundred Tilapia larvae (3 day post-hatching) were randomly stocked in each replicate tank of the aquaculture system. The larvae were reared for six days until fully acclimatized, indicated by the yolk-sac, was absorbed entirely (day “1”).

Fish were fed with commercial pellets (sinking crumble pellet with ∼0.5 mm diameter) at satiation level for 30 min. The nutrient composition of the commercial feed was 12.59% DM moisture, 6.81% DM crude protein, 17.69% DM crude fat, 10.14% DM ash and 3.62 kJ(gDM)−1 energy. The feeding activity was conducted three times daily (09.00, 12.30, and 16.00) during the first three weeks and twice a day (11.00 and 16.00) for the rest of the experimental period.

  1. Ethical approval: The research related to animal use has been complied with all the relevant national regulations and institutional policies for the care and use of animals.

2.3 Observed parameters

  • Water quality: Water quality parameters such as temperature (T), dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH were measured daily in situ. Portable HANNA pH/ORP/Temperature meter HI 991002 (Hanna Instrument, USA) was for pH and temperature. Other water parameters such as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite (NO2) and nitrate (NO3), ortho-phosphate, CO2, and urea were analyzed weekly with an auto-analyzer according to a hatchery protocol. The water sampling was performed by collecting 50 mL of rearing water which was running out from the rearing tank to a water treatment unit on days −2, 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42.

  • Feed intake: Feed intakes were recorded daily based on rearing groups. This was done by weighting the initial feed in a small Petridis before feeding (a), and weighting left weight after feeding.

  • Bodyweight: To measure the larval growth, 10 larvae from every rearing tank, were dried with paper and weighted on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42.

  • Proximate composition: To monitor growth and feed utilization of larvae during the experimental period, the proximate analyses were done to the remaining 50 larvae on day 42. In this analysis, dry matter content (DM), ash content (ASH), crude protein content (CP), crude fat content (CF), and energy content were analyzed according to protocols of AOAC [16]. In brief, fish were sampled from each replicates and dried in an oven at 70°C until constant weight (dry matter; DM). The dried sample was afterwards placed in an oven at 660°C until a constant weight (Ash content). While crude protein was determined by the micro-Kjedhal method, N × 6.25, fat content was estimated by the Soxhlet attraction method, and energy content was measured with a boom calorimeter.

  • Survival rate: dead fish were monitored and recorded daily from each rearing tank. Then the survival rate was calculated according to the following formula.

2.4 Calculations

The metabolic growth rate (GRmet), metabolic feeding rate (FRmet), metabolic feed conversion ration (FCRmet)), apparent net protein utilization (NPUa), apparent net fat utilization (NFUa), and apparent net energy utilization (NEUa) during any given period was calculated according to the formula of Dabrowski [17]:

FRmet = F Exp (LnBWo + LnBWt) NPUa(%) = (Wt × Pt − Wo × Po) F × P F × 100
GRmet = Wt − Wo t Wg 1 , 000 0.8 NFUa ( % ) = ( Wt × Ft − Wo × Fo ) F × F F × 100
FCRmet = F Wt − Wo BWg 1 , 000 0.8 NEUa ( % ) = ( Wt × Et − Wo × Eo ) F × E F × 100
SR = Nt No × 100 %

Wt = final weight (g); Wo = initial weight (g); F = the amount of feed given during the measuring period (g); GRmet = metabolic growth rate (g kg−0.8 day−1); FCRmet = metabolic feed conversion ratio; NPUa = apparent net protein utilization (%); NFUa = apparent net fat utilization (%); NEUa = apparent net energy utilization (%); Pt = protein content at time t; Po = protein content at day 0; Ft = fat content at time t; Fo = fat content at day 0; Et = energy content at time t; Eo = energy content at day 0; Nt: the number of fish at the end of experiment, No is the number of fish at the beginning of experimental period.

2.5 Data analysis

Data of metabolic feed ration, metabolic growth rate, metabolic feed conversion ratio, survival rate, and water quality parameters (total ammonia nitrogen, nitrite, nitrate, orthophosphate, and urea) measured weekly were compared using t-test analysis. In addition, nutrient utilization, apparent net protein utilization, apparent net fat utilization, and apparent NEUa measured at the end of the experiment were also analyzed using a t-test at p < 0.05.

3 Results

3.1 Metabolic feed ration

The metabolic feed ration (FRmet) of larvae cultured in the RAS and BFS over 42 days are presented in Table 1. During the first seven days of the experiment, the FRmet of larvae cultured in the BFS was significantly higher than larvae cultured in the RAS, p < 0.05. However, FRmet of larvae cultured in either RAS or BFS calculated on day 14, day 28, and day 42 had no significant difference, p > 0.05.

Table 1

Metabolic feed ration of Nile tilapia cultured in RAS and BFSs calculated on days 7, 14, 28, and 42

Day FRmet (Mean ± STD) (g kg−0.8 day−1) p-value
RAS BFS
7 10.01 ± 0.66a 11.75 ± 0.70b <0.001
14 15.45 ± 0.77A 16.10 ± 0.91A 0.166
28 15.35 ± 0.94X 15.47 ± 0.93X 0.821
42 9.73 ± 0.36x 10.05 ± 0.28x 0.104

Different superscripts (a, b), (A, B, C), (x, y, z), and (X, Y, Z) indicate significant difference between treatments, (p < 0.05). The values are average ± standard deviation g kg−0.8 day−1 with five replicates.

3.2 The metabolic feed conversion ratio

The metabolic feed conversion ratio (FCRmet) of Tilapia larvae was similar between systems except in the last week (days 36–42). The FCRmet of Tilapia larvae cultured in the BFS was significantly higher than Tilapia larvae cultured in the RAS (p < 0.05). FCRmet calculated from fish larvae reared in the BFS was 0.13 higher than that of RAS, Table 2.

Table 2

FCRmet of Tilapia larvae cultured in RAS and BFS calculated on days 7, 14, 28, and 42

Day FCRmet (Mean ± STD) p-value
RAS BFS
7 0.56 ± 0.09a 0.53 ± 0.09a 0.542
14 0.54 ± 0.07A 0.63 ± 0.11A 0.081
28 0.70 ± 0.07X 0.71 ± 0.07X 0.834
42 0.65 ± 0.04x 0.78 ± 0.07y 0.001

Different superscripts (x, y) indicate significant difference between treatments, (p < 0.05). The values are average ± standard deviation with five replicates.

3.3 Apparent net nutrient utilization

Apparent net nutrient utilization also called nutrient conversion efficiency by Nile tilapia cultured in each rearing system is presented in Table 3. There was a significant difference in the apparent net protein utilization (NPUa) of feed by Nile tilapia between groups, t = 14.98, df 13.11, p < 0.01. The NPUa calculated from Nile tilapia cultured in the BFS was significantly lower than that of RAS. Similarly, the NEUa was also significantly lower in the Nile Tilapia cultured in the BFS compared to Nile tilapia cultured in the RAS. While the NEUa of feed by the Nile tilapia was not significantly different between groups, F = 2.027, df 2.12, p = 0.08.

Table 3

Apparent Net Nutrient Utilization of feed by Nile tilapia cultured in the recirculating aquaculture system and Stagnant water aquaculture system for 42 days

Systems NPUa (%) NFUa (%) NEUa (%)
RAS 41.61 ± 0.51b 66.22 ± 2.20A 46.83 ± 0.89 y
BFS 37.81 ± 0.35a 63.19 ± 4.43A 44.05 ± 1.54x
t = 14.98, df 13.11, p < 0.001 t = 1.86 df 13.5, p = 0.086 t = 4.51, df 13.5, p = 0.001

RAS is recirculating the aquaculture system; NPUa is the apparent net protein utilization; NFUa is the apparent net fat utilization; NEUa is the apparent net energy utilization. Different superscripts (a, b), and (x, y) indicate significant difference between treatments, (p < 0.05). The values are average ± standard deviation % with five replicates.

3.4 Metabolic growth rate

Metabolic growth rates (GRmet) of Tilapia larvae cultured in RAS and BFS calculated on days 7, 14, 28, and 42 are presented in Table 4. The result showed that there was a significant difference in the GRmet of larvae cultured in the two different aquaculture systems, p < 0.05. Calculated after a 7-day culture period, the GRmet of Tilapia cultured in both BFSs was significantly higher than larvae cultured in both RBFS, 22.73 g kg−0.8 day−1 in BFS, followed by 18.75 g kg−0.8 day−1 in RAS-1, and 17.76 g kg−0.8 day−1 in RAS-2. However, when calculated on days 14 and 28, the GRmet of Tilapia larvae were the same, regardless of the two rearing systems, p > 0,05. On the contrary, the GRmet of larvae cultured in both RBFS was significantly higher than that of Tilapia raised in the BFSs, p < 0.05.

Table 4

Metabolic growth rate (mean ± standard deviation) of Tilapia larvae cultured in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) and BFS

Day GRmet (mean ± STD) (g kg−0.8 day−1) p-value
RAS BFS
7 18.26 ± 2.08a 22.73 ± 2.63b 0. 003
14 28.75 ± 3.58A 26.06 ± 4.10A 0.213
28 22.09 ± 1.41x 21.98 ± 1.10x 0.877
42 15.01 ± 1.38X 13.01 ± 1.51Y 0.024

Different superscripts (a, b) and (X, Y) indicate significant difference between treatments, (p < 0.05). The values are average ± standard deviation g kg−0.8 day−1 with five replicates.

3.5 Survival rate

There was no significant difference in the survival rate of those tilapia cultured in RAS and BFS, p > 0.05. The survival rate of those Nile tilapia was high in both systems, 99.75 ± 0.45% for Nile Tilapia in the RAS and 99.60 ± 0.55% for the BFS.

3.6 Water quality

The result showed that total ammonia nitrogen (TAN-N) in rearing water of RAS and BFS were all in safe levels for Tilapia larvae, Figure 2. In general, concentrations of TAN-N in the rearing water of RAS were more stable compared to BFS. As presented in Figure 2, the highest concentration of TAN-N in BFS was ∼0.25 mg L−1 at day 14, and 0.11 mg L−1 at the rearing water of RAS and 0.06 mg L−1 at day 28. Even though the TAN-N concentrations were in the range of safe levels, RAS showed a more stable water quality. Statistically, the concentration of total ammonia nitrogen of water samples in both RAS and BFS was significantly different at day 14, p < 0.05.

Figure 2 The concentration of total ammonia nitrogen in the rearing water of RAS and BFS measured weekly. N.S means no significant difference and * means a significant difference (p < 0.05).
Figure 2

The concentration of total ammonia nitrogen in the rearing water of RAS and BFS measured weekly. N.S means no significant difference and * means a significant difference (p < 0.05).

The concentration of nitrite was also tested during the whole monitoring process, and the result showed that the level of nitrite nitrogen was significantly higher in the rearing water of BFS, p < 0.05. The nitrite concentration in the rearing water of BFS increased gradually from 0.02 mg L−1 to 0.35 mg L−1 at day 35, and gradually decreased afterwards, Figure 3a. While the nitrite level in RAS was initially recorded at 0.02, and the highest level was ∼0.1 mg N L, which is much lower than that of RAS.

Figure 3 The concentration of total nitrite nitrogen (NO2–N) and total nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–N) in the rearing water of recirculating aquaculture system and BFS, recorded weekly. N.S means the average value is not significantly different; * represents a significant difference p < 0.05; ** represents a significant difference p < 0.01; *** represents a significant difference p < 0.001.
Figure 3

The concentration of total nitrite nitrogen (NO2–N) and total nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–N) in the rearing water of recirculating aquaculture system and BFS, recorded weekly. N.S means the average value is not significantly different; * represents a significant difference p < 0.05; ** represents a significant difference p < 0.01; *** represents a significant difference p < 0.001.

Nitrate nitrogen (NO3–N) levels in the rearing water of RAS and BFS were significantly different, p < 0.05. Total nitrite nitrogen in the rearing water of RAS was considerably higher than that of the rearing water of BFS, Figure 3b. The NO3–N levels in general increased gradually over time in the rearing water of both RAS and BFS.

There were significant differences in pH and temperature of the rearing water in the aquaculture systems (RAS and BFS), p < 0.05. In the first 14 days, the pH was not significant in the rearing water of both systems. However, pH was significantly higher from day 21 until day 42. While the temperature of the rearing water had no significant difference in both aquaculture systems during the 42-day experimental periods.

3.7 Urea and carbon dioxide

There were significant differences in the urea (CO(NH2)2) level in the rearing water of RAS and BFS, p < 0.05. The urea level in the rearing water of BFS was higher than that in the rearing water of both RAS during the culture period, Figure 4a. Similarly, the carbon dioxide (CO2) level in the rearing water of both RAS and BFS was significantly different, p < 0.05. As presented in Figure 4b, the CO2 level in the rearing water of BFS was significantly higher than that of both RAS throughout the culture periods.

Figure 4 Concentration of urea and CO2 in the rearing water of RAS and BFS. (a) Mean urea (±SD) concentrations in the rearing water of RAS and BFS on sampling dates (N.S. means not significantly different (p > 0.05)); ** mean significant difference at p < 0.01; *** – p < 0.001. (b) Carbon dioxide concentrations (mean ± SD) in RAS and BFS on sampling dates; ** means significant difference at p < 0.05; *** – p < 0.01.
Figure 4

Concentration of urea and CO2 in the rearing water of RAS and BFS. (a) Mean urea (±SD) concentrations in the rearing water of RAS and BFS on sampling dates (N.S. means not significantly different (p > 0.05)); ** mean significant difference at p < 0.01; *** – p < 0.001. (b) Carbon dioxide concentrations (mean ± SD) in RAS and BFS on sampling dates; ** means significant difference at p < 0.05; *** – p < 0.01.

4 Discussion

The intensification of aquaculture systems has been confronted with aquaculture waste and environmental pollution [18]. Amin [19] reported that the total nutrient content in the feed which could be converted into fish biomass was ranging from 20 to 30%. Accordingly, Hlaváč et al. [20] explained that around 70% of nutrient in feed becomes wastes and flows into the environment. Other authors explained that this waste mostly goes and accumulate in rivers, ocean, and bays and cause algal blooms and killing many aquatic lives [4,21]. Thus, global environmental challenges drive the need for new solutions for eco-friendlier and more sustainable aquaculture production systems. One approach to address the problem is the use of closed aquaculture systems, including RAS and BFSs, which is also called biofloc technology. Thus, this study aimed at comparing apparent net nutrient utilization, growth of Nile tilapia, and the stability of water quality parameters in the two most common aquaculture systems nowadays, the recirculating aquaculture system and BFS.

4.1 Nutrient utilization

The FCRmet of fish in the RAS calculated at the end of the culture period was significantly lower than that of fish cultured in the BFS even though both fish groups received the same amount of diet or the same FRmet. This result suggests that Nile tilapia cultured in the RAS are better at utilizing nutrients in the feed, therefore, retain more nutrients for growth. A similar conclusion was derived from a study by Rodde et al. [22] where low FCR by fish showed a better capacity of fish in utilizing nutrients and allocation for growth. In line with FCRmet, the present study result also showed that apparent net protein utilization and apparent net energy utilization are significantly higher in Nile tilapia cultured in RAS than that of fish cultured in BFS. These results suggest that Nile tilapia cultured in RAS utilize protein and energy better than Nile tilapia in BFS. The present studyindicates also that apparent net protein utilization obtained in Nile tilapia cultured in the RAS is higher than what was previously reported from the same fish species by Jayant [23] which is 16–39%, but quite similar to NPUa obtained in the present study from fish cultured in BFS (37%).

The differences in the NPUa and NEUa might be due to the higher energy requirement for maintenance in BFS. Fish cultured in BFS appeared to be more active in swimming because of the higher turbulence of rearing water in the BFS, which was caused by a higher current from the aeration system which is one of the main environmental characteristics in the BFS or biofloc technology [24]. As a consequence, when energy supplies are not met by the main energy sources (carbohydrate), the fish in BFS might use some proteins for energy purposes instead of using it for building muscle or meat [25]. Similarly, Mo et al. [26] states that some building blocks of protein including alanine, glutamine, serine, aspartic, threonine, isoleucine, and methionine can be used as an energy source. Patra and Aschenbach [27] described that one indicator to see the use of proteins as energy is the increasing level of CO2 and Urea in the rearing water. The results of the present study are in line with this theory, in which urea and CO2 levels were significantly higher in the rearing water of BFS than that of RAS. The same result had also been described by Gerrits et al. [28] in which the usage of protein as an energy source tends to increase CO2 and urea levels in the rearing water. The use of protein as an energy source at the end causes lower the growth of cultured animals. The present result may suggest that carbohydrate content as an energy source should be incorporated more in fish cultured in the BFS than when the fish culture in the RAS system.

4.2 Growth performances

GRmet obtained in the present study was 13 g kg−0.8 day−1 in Nile tilapia cultured in BFS and 14 in RAS-1 and 15 g kg−0.8 day−1 RAS-2. Thse results were higher than GRmet previously repoted in several studies. For instance, Olude [29] reported GRmet of Nile tilapia at ∼9.68 g kg0.8 day−1. A lower GRmet was also reported by Dabrowski [17] in Nile tilapia, 6–8 g kg−0.8 day−1. In addition, GRmet obtained in the present study was similar to the result reported by Sahandi [30] which was quite similar to 14.44 g kg−0.8 day−1. These results indicate that all fish were cultured in optimal environmental conditions in both aquaculture systems.

When GRmet between the two systems are compared, we found that the Nile tilapia cultured in RAS systems had higher SGRmet compared to the fish cultured in the BFS. Besides the difference in energy requirements as previously above, another possible reason is that RAS had a better capacity to maintain water quality than the BFS. As previously described by Xiao et al. [31], RAS has a water treatment unit in which toxic waste such as ammonia and nitrite are degraded. As a consequence, toxic chemical levels such as TAN and NO2, for instance, were significantly lower in RAS throughout the experimental periods. TAN in both RBFS was recorded at 0.1 and 0.05 mg L−1 for RAS-1 and RAS-2, respectively. While the TAN level in the rearing water of BFS reached 0.25 mg L−1. The TAN consisted of ionized ( NH 4 + ) and gas (NH3) ammonia, which is considered the most toxic chemical for fish [32]. There is an equilibrium between NH 4 + and NH3, and the equilibrium highly depends on the pH and temperature of rearing water. Based on the measurement result (pH ∼ 8 and temperature ∼27°C), the proportion of ammonia was 6.15%, which means that the average level of NH3 in the BFS was 0.015 mg L−1. The high NH3 concentration has been reported to cause stress in catfish indicated by the increase in plasma glucose levels [33]. Ammonia may cause impairment of cerebral energy metabolism as well as nerve functions [34]. Several studies have documented that there was a negative correlation between ammonia concentration in rearing water and the growth of several fish species, including gilthead seabream [35], and Nile tilapia [36].

In addition, the lower GRmett can be due to the high level of NO2–N in rearing water of BFS (average 0.35 mg N L−1) is higher than a sub-chronic NO2–N level (0.33 mg L−1) (Kroupova et al., 2008). A similar conclusion was derived by Romaneli et al. [37] in which higher maintenance energy required by Tilapai affected the growth of the animals. Proximate analyses on 42-days old larvae also confirmed that larvae in AS tanks were also less efficient in nutrient utilization than larvae in RAS.

4.3 Water quality

Rearing water in the RAS had better water quality than BFS during the experimental periods. Toxic chemicals such as TAN and NO2, for instance, were higher in the rearing water of BFS than RAS. This result can be due to the different abilities of each aquaculture system in converting TAN to NO2–N and from NO2 to NO3 [38]. A higher concentration of TAN and NO 2 − in BFS indicates the lower ability of nitrification, once nitrifying bacteria utilize NH 3 + and NO 2 − , like electron or energy sources to produce NO3 [39]. The better capacity of nitrifying bacteria in RAS had been confirmed by the higher level of NO3, which is the end product of nitrification. In addition, the lower activity of nitrifying bacteria in BFS can be seen from the elevated CO2 and UREA in the systems even though they received less feed per unit of rearing water compared to RAS. Even though RAS received higher feed input, the 2 RAS were able to manage TAN and NO 2 − below potentially toxic levels of 1 mg L−1 TAN at pH: 7.5 and temperature 27°C [40], and 0.3 mg L−1 for NO 2 − –N [41] but also more stable compared to BFS.

5 Conclusion

FCRmet of Tilapia larvae cultured in the BFS was significantly higher than Tilapia larvae cultured in RAS. The NPUa and NEUa calculated from Nile tilapia cultured in the BFS were significantly lower than RAS. While NEUa of feed by the Nile tilapia was not significantly different between groups. The GRmet of Tilapia calculated after a 7-day culture period in BFS was significantly higher than in RAS, 22.73 g kg−0.8 day−1 in BFS, followed by 18.75 g kg−0.8 day−1 in RAS-1, and 17.76 g kg−0.8 day−1 in RAS-2. However, when calculated on days 14 and 28, the GRmet of Tilapia larvae were the same. On the contrary, the GRmet of larvae cultured in both RBFS was significantly higher than that of Tilapia raised in the BFS. There was no significant difference in the survival rate, 99.75 ± 0.45% for Nile Tilapia in RAS-1, 99.50 ± 0.55% for Nile tilapia in RAS-2 and 99.60 ± 0.55% for BFS. In addition, the RAS had also a better capacity to maintain water quality at optimum levels, especially TAN and nitrite levels.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge colleges in the laboratory of fish Nutrition, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Universitas Airlangga for providing the necessary help and facilities during the experiments.

  1. Funding information: This publication was supported by Universitas Airlangga under scheme “Riset Kolaborasi Luar Negeri” with contract number 408/UN3.14/PT/2020.

  2. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest

  3. Data availability statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

[1] Little DC, Newton R, Beveridge M. Aquaculture: a rapidly growing and significant source of sustainable food? Status, transitions and potential. Proc Nutr Soc. 2016;75(3):274–86.10.1017/S0029665116000665Search in Google Scholar

[2] Dauda AB, Ajadi A, Tola-Fabunmi AS, Akinwole AO. Waste production in aquaculture: Sources, components and managements in different culture systems. Aquacul Fish. 2019;4(3):81–8.10.1016/j.aaf.2018.10.002Search in Google Scholar

[3] Roger S. An overview of environmental issues in developing-country aquaculture. Environ Aquacul Develop Ctries. 1993;31:1.Search in Google Scholar

[4] Amir S, et al. Aplikasi Teknologi Bioflok pada Budidaya Udang Vaname (Litopenaeus Vannamei). Pros PKM-CSR. 2018;1:660–6.Search in Google Scholar

[5] Espinal CA, Matulić D. Recirculating aquaculture technologies, in Aquaponics food production systems. Cham: Springer; 2019. p. 35–76.10.1007/978-3-030-15943-6_3Search in Google Scholar

[6] Prayogo P, Agustono A, Rahardja BS, Amin M. Growth performance and nutrient composition of mustard green (Brassica juncea) cultured in aquaponics systems and hydroponic system. J Aquaculture Fish Health. 2021;10(3):373–9.10.20473/jafh.v10i3.26593Search in Google Scholar

[7] Emerenciano MGC, Martínez-Córdova LR, Martínez-Porchas M, Miranda-Baeza A. Biofloc technology (BFT): a tool for water quality management in aquaculture. Water Qual. 2017;91–109.10.5772/66416Search in Google Scholar

[8] Amin M, Musdalifah L, Ali M. Growth performances of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, reared in recirculating aquaculture and active suspension systems. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. IOP Publishing; 2020.10.1088/1755-1315/441/1/012135Search in Google Scholar

[9] Schuster C, Stelz H. Reduction in the make-up water in semi-closed recirculating aquaculture systems. Aquacul Eng. 1998;17(3):167–74.10.1016/S0144-8609(98)00013-2Search in Google Scholar

[10] Legarda EC, Poli MA, Martins MA, Pereira SA, Martins ML, Machado C, et al. Integrated recirculating aquaculture system for mullet and shrimp using biofloc technology. Aquaculture. 2019;512:734308.10.1016/j.aquaculture.2019.734308Search in Google Scholar

[11] Steinberg K, Zimmermann J, Stiller KT, Nwanna L, Meyer S, Schulz C. Elevated nitrate levels affect the energy metabolism of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) in RAS. Aquaculture. 2018;497:405–13.10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.08.017Search in Google Scholar

[12] Avnimelech Y. Carbon/nitrogen ratio as a control element in aquaculture systems. Aquaculture. 1999;176(3–4):227–35.10.1016/S0044-8486(99)00085-XSearch in Google Scholar

[13] Khanjani MH, Sharifinia M. Biofloc technology as a promising tool to improve aquaculture production. Rev Aquacul. 2020;12(3):1836–50.10.1111/raq.12412Search in Google Scholar

[14] Fleckenstein LJ, Tierney TW, Ray AJ. Comparing biofloc, clear-water, and hybrid recirculating nursery systems (Part II): Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) production and water quality dynamics. Aquacul Eng. 2018;82:80–5.10.1016/j.aquaeng.2018.06.006Search in Google Scholar

[15] Nguyen HYN, Trinh TL, Baruah K, Lundh T, Kiessling A. Growth and feed utilisation of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed different protein levels in a clear-water or biofloc-RAS system. Aquaculture. 2021;536:736404.10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.736404Search in Google Scholar

[16] AOAC. Official methods of analysis of AOAC International; 1995.Search in Google Scholar

[17] Dabrowski KR. Ontogenetical aspects of nutritional requirements in fish. Comp Biochem Physiol Part A Physiol. 1986;85(4):639–55.10.1016/0300-9629(86)90272-0Search in Google Scholar

[18] Ni Z, Wu X, Li L, Lv Z, Zhang Z, Hao A, et al. Pollution control and in situ bioremediation for lake aquaculture using an ecological dam. J Clean Prod. 2018;172:2256–65.10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.185Search in Google Scholar

[19] Amin M, Agustono A, Prayugo P, Ali M, Hum NNMF. Comparison of total nutrient recovery in aquaponics and conventional aquaculture systems. Open Agric. 2021;6(1):682–8.10.1515/opag-2021-0032Search in Google Scholar

[20] Hlaváč D, Adámek Z, Hartman P, Másílko J. Effects of supplementary feeding in carp ponds on discharge water quality: a review. Aquacul Int. 2014;22(1):299–320.10.1007/s10499-013-9718-6Search in Google Scholar

[21] Islam M, Yasmin R. Impact of aquaculture and contemporary environmental issues in Bangladesh. Int J Fish Aquat Stud. 2017;5(4):100–7.Search in Google Scholar

[22] Rodde C, Chatain B, Vandeputte M, Trinh TQ, Benzie JAH, de Verdal H. Can individual feed conversion ratio at commercial size be predicted from juvenile performance in individually reared Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus? Aquacul Rep. 2020;17:100349.10.1016/j.aqrep.2020.100349Search in Google Scholar

[23] Jayant M, Muralidhar AP, Sahu NP, Jain KK, Pal AK, Srivastava PP. Protein requirement of juvenile striped catfish, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. Aquacul Int. 2018;26(1):375–89.10.1007/s10499-017-0216-0Search in Google Scholar

[24] Harun AAC, Mohammad NAH, Ikhwanuddin M, Jauhari I, Sohaili J, Kasan NA. Effect of different aeration units, nitrogen types and inoculum on biofloc formation for improvement of Pacific Whiteleg shrimp production. Egypt J Aquat Res. 2019;45(3):287–92.10.1016/j.ejar.2019.07.001Search in Google Scholar

[25] Drummen M, Tischmann L, Gatta-Cherifi B, Adam T, Westerterp-Plantenga M. Dietary protein and energy balance in relation to obesity and co-morbidities. Front Endocrinol. 2018;9:443.10.3389/fendo.2018.00443Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

[26] Mo AJ, Sun JX, Wang YH, Yang K, Yang HS, Yuan YC. Apparent digestibility of protein, energy and amino acids in nine protein sources at two content levels for mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi. Aquaculture. 2019;499:42–50.10.1016/j.aquaculture.2018.09.023Search in Google Scholar

[27] Patra AK, Aschenbach JR. Ureases in the gastrointestinal tracts of ruminant and monogastric animals and their implication in urea-N/ammonia metabolism: a review. J Adv Res. 2018;13:39–50.10.1016/j.jare.2018.02.005Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

[28] Gerrits WJ, Schrama JW, Tamminga S. The marginal efficiency of utilization of all ileal digestible indispensable amino acids for protein gain is lower than 30% in preruminant calves between 80 and 240 kg live weight. J Nutr. 1998;128(10):1774–85.10.1093/jn/128.10.1774Search in Google Scholar PubMed

[29] Olude O, Alegbeleye W, George F. Effects of replacement of fish oil by sesame seed (Sesamum indicum L.) oil in the diets of til-aqua natural male tilapia. Ife J Sci. 2019;21(2):287–98.10.4314/ijs.v21i2.3Search in Google Scholar

[30] Sahandi J, Jafaryan H, Soltani M, Ebrahimi P. Enhancement of growth performance and hematological changes in rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) alevins fed with Bifidobacterium bacteria. J Fish. 2017;5(1):439–44.10.17017/j.fish.51Search in Google Scholar

[31] Xiao R, Wei Y, An D, Li D, Ta X, Wu Y, et al. A review on the research status and development trend of equipment in water treatment processes of recirculating aquaculture systems. Rev Aquacul. 2019;11(3):863–95.10.1111/raq.12270Search in Google Scholar

[32] Effendi H, Utomo BA, Pratiwi NT. Ammonia and orthophosphate removal of tilapia cultivation wastewater with Vetiveria zizanioides. J King Saud Univer-Sci. 2020;32(1):207–12.10.1016/j.jksus.2018.04.018Search in Google Scholar

[33] Metwally M, Wafeek M. Effect of ammonia toxicity on carbohydrate metabolism in nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). World J Fish Mar Sci. 2014;6(3):252–61.Search in Google Scholar

[34] Randall DJ, Wright PA. Ammonia distribution and excretion in fish. Fish Physiol Biochem. 1987;3(3):107–20.10.1007/BF02180412Search in Google Scholar PubMed

[35] Wajsbrot N, Gasith A, Diamant A, Popper DM. Chronic toxicity of ammonia to juvenile gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata, and related histopathological effects. J Fish Biol. 1993;42(3):321–8.10.1111/j.1095-8649.1993.tb00336.xSearch in Google Scholar

[36] El-Shafai SA, El-Gohary FA, Nasr FA, van der Steen NP, Gijzen HJ. Chronic ammonia toxicity to duckweed-fed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Aquaculture. 2004;232(1–4):117–27.10.1016/S0044-8486(03)00516-7Search in Google Scholar

[37] Romaneli RS, do Nascimento TMT, Gous RM, Reis MP, Mansano CFM, Khan KU, et al. Response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to lysine: Performance, body composition, maintenance and efficiency of utilization. Aquaculture. 2021;538:736522.10.1016/j.aquaculture.2021.736522Search in Google Scholar

[38] Maier RM, Pepper IL, Gerba CP. Environmental microbiology. Vol. 397. Academic Press; 2009.10.1016/B978-0-12-370519-8.00001-8Search in Google Scholar

[39] Seiersen K, Bak J, Bluhme H, Jensen MJ, Nielsen SB, Andersen LH. Electron-impact detachment of O3−, NO3− and SO2− ions. Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2003;5(21):4814–20.10.1039/B309322KSearch in Google Scholar

[40] Biswas AK, Seoka M, Tanaka Y, Takii K, Kumai H. Effect of photoperiod manipulation on the growth performance and stress response of juvenile red sea bream (Pagrus major). Aquaculture. 2006;258(1–4):350–6.10.1016/j.aquaculture.2006.03.048Search in Google Scholar

[41] Kroupova H, Machova J, Piackova V, Blahova J, Dobsikova R, Novotny L, et al. Effects of subchronic nitrite exposure on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2008;71(3):813–20.10.1016/j.ecoenv.2008.01.015Search in Google Scholar PubMed

Received: 2021-08-26
Revised: 2022-05-18
Accepted: 2022-05-18
Published Online: 2022-06-20

© 2022 Muhamad Amin et al., published by De Gruyter

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Regular Articles
  2. Foliar application of boron positively affects the growth, yield, and oil content of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)
  3. Impacts of adopting specialized agricultural programs relying on “good practice” – Empirical evidence from fruit growers in Vietnam
  4. Evaluation of 11 potential trap crops for root-knot nematode (RKN) control under glasshouse conditions
  5. Technical efficiency of resource-poor maize farmers in northern Ghana
  6. Bulk density: An index for measuring critical soil compaction levels for groundnut cultivation
  7. Efficiency of the European Union farm types: Scenarios with and without the 2013 CAP measures
  8. Participatory validation and optimization of the Triple S method for sweetpotato planting material conservation in southern Ethiopia
  9. Selection of high-yield maize hybrid under different cropping systems based on stability and adaptability parameters
  10. Soil test-based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation for malting barley production on Nitisols
  11. Effects of domestication and temperature on the growth and survival of the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) postlarvae
  12. Influence of irrigation regime on gas exchange, growth, and oil quality of field grown, Texas (USA) olive trees
  13. Present status and prospects of value addition industry for agricultural produce – A review
  14. Competitiveness and impact of government policy on chili in Indonesia
  15. Growth of Rucola on Mars soil simulant under the influence of pig slurry and earthworms
  16. Effect of potassium fertilizer application in teff yield and nutrient uptake on Vertisols in the central highlands of Ethiopia
  17. Dissection of social interaction and community engagement of smallholder oil palm in reducing conflict using soft system methodology
  18. Farmers’ perception, awareness, and constraints of organic rice farming in Indonesia
  19. Improving the capacity of local food network through local food hubs’ development
  20. Quality evaluation of gluten-free biscuits prepared with algarrobo flour as a partial sugar replacer
  21. Effect of pre-slaughter weight on morphological composition of pig carcasses
  22. Study of the impact of increasing the highest retail price of subsidized fertilizer on rice production in Indonesia
  23. Agrobiodiversity and perceived climatic change effect on family farming systems in semiarid tropics of Kenya
  24. Influences of inter- and intra-row spacing on the growth and head yield of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) in western Amhara, Ethiopia
  25. The supply chain and its development concept of fresh mulberry fruit in Thailand: Observations in Nan Province, the largest production area
  26. Toward achieving sustainable development agenda: Nexus between agriculture, trade openness, and oil rents in Nigeria
  27. Phenotyping cowpea accessions at the seedling stage for drought tolerance in controlled environments
  28. Apparent nutrient utilization and metabolic growth rate of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, cultured in recirculating aquaculture and biofloc systems
  29. Influence of season and rangeland-type on serum biochemistry of indigenous Zulu sheep
  30. Meta-analysis of responses of broiler chickens to Bacillus supplementation: Intestinal histomorphometry and blood immunoglobulin
  31. Weed composition and maize yield in a former tin-mining area: A case study in Malim Nawar, Malaysia
  32. Strategies for overcoming farmers’ lives in volcano-prone areas: A case study in Mount Semeru, Indonesia
  33. Principal component and cluster analyses based characterization of maize fields in southern central Rift Valley of Ethiopia
  34. Profitability and financial performance of European Union farms: An analysis at both regional and national levels
  35. Analysis of trends and variability of climatic parameters in Teff growing belts of Ethiopia
  36. Farmers’ food security in the volcanic area: A case in Mount Merapi, Indonesia
  37. Strategy to improve the sustainability of “porang” (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) farming in support of the triple export movement policy in Indonesia
  38. Agrarian contracts, relations between agents, and perception on energy crops in the sugarcane supply chain: The Peruvian case
  39. Factors influencing the adoption of conservation agriculture by smallholder farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
  40. Meta-analysis of zinc feed additive on enhancement of semen quality, fertility and hatchability performance in breeder chickens
  41. Meta-analysis of the potential of dietary Bacillus spp. in improving growth performance traits in broiler chickens
  42. Biocomposites from agricultural wastes and mycelia of a local mushroom, Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer
  43. Cross transferability of barley nuclear SSRs to pearl millet genome provides new molecular tools for genetic analyses and marker assisted selection
  44. Detection of encapsulant addition in butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) extract powder using visible–near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics analysis
  45. The willingness of farmers to preserve sustainable food agricultural land in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  46. Transparent conductive far-infrared radiative film based on polyvinyl alcohol with carbon fiber apply in agriculture greenhouse
  47. Grain yield stability of black soybean lines across three agroecosystems in West Java, Indonesia
  48. Forms of land access in the sugarcane agroindustry: A comparison of Brazilian and Peruvian cases
  49. Assessment of the factors contributing to the lack of agricultural mechanization in Jiroft, Iran
  50. Do poor farmers have entrepreneurship skill, intention, and competence? Lessons from transmigration program in rural Gorontalo Province, Indonesia
  51. Communication networks used by smallholder livestock farmers during disease outbreaks: Case study in the Free State, South Africa
  52. Sustainability of Arabica coffee business in West Java, Indonesia: A multidimensional scaling approach
  53. Farmers’ perspectives on the adoption of smart farming technology to support food farming in Aceh Province, Indonesia
  54. Rice yield grown in different fertilizer combination and planting methods: Case study in Buru Island, Indonesia
  55. Paclobutrazol and benzylaminopurine improve potato yield grown under high temperatures in lowland and medium land
  56. Agricultural sciences publication activity in Russia and the impact of the national project “Science.” A bibliometric analysis
  57. Storage conditions and postharvest practices lead to aflatoxin contamination in maize in two counties (Makueni and Baringo) in Kenya
  58. Relationship of potato yield and factors of influence on the background of herbological protection
  59. Biology and life cycle Of Diatraea busckella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) under simulated altitudinal profile in controlled conditions
  60. Evaluation of combustion characteristics performances and emissions of a diesel engine using diesel and biodiesel fuel blends containing graphene oxide nanoparticles
  61. Effect of various varieties and dosage of potassium fertilizer on growth, yield, and quality of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.)
  62. Review Articles
  63. Germination ecology of three Asteraceae annuals Arctotis hirsuta, Oncosiphon suffruticosum, and Cotula duckittiae in the winter-rainfall region of South Africa: A review
  64. Animal waste antibiotic residues and resistance genes: A review
  65. A brief and comprehensive history of the development and use of feed analysis: A review
  66. The evolving state of food security in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 pandemic – A review
  67. Short Communication
  68. Response of cannabidiol hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties grown in the southeastern United States to nitrogen fertilization
  69. Special Issue on the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research – Agrarian Sciences
  70. Special issue on the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research – Agrarian Sciences: Message from the editor
  71. Maritime pine land use environmental impact evolution in the context of life cycle assessment
  72. Influence of different parameters on the characteristics of hazelnut (var. Grada de Viseu) grown in Portugal
  73. Organic food consumption and eating habit in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown
  74. Customer knowledge and behavior on the use of food refrigerated display cabinets: A Portuguese case
  75. Perceptions and knowledge regarding quality and safety of plastic materials used for food packaging
  76. Understanding the role of media and food labels to disseminate food related information in Lebanon
  77. Liquefaction and chemical composition of walnut shells
  78. Validation of an analytical methodology to determine humic substances using low-volume toxic reagents
  79. Special Issue on the International Conference on Agribusiness and Rural Development – IConARD 2020
  80. Behavioral response of breeder toward development program of Ongole crossbred cattle in Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia
  81. Special Issue on the 2nd ICSARD 2020
  82. Perceived attributes driving the adoption of system of rice intensification: The Indonesian farmers’ view
  83. Value-added analysis of Lactobacillus acidophilus cell encapsulation using Eucheuma cottonii by freeze-drying and spray-drying
  84. Investigating the elicited emotion of single-origin chocolate towards sustainable chocolate production in Indonesia
  85. Temperature and duration of vernalization effect on the vegetative growth of garlic (Allium sativum L.) clones in Indonesia
  86. Special Issue on Agriculture, Climate Change, Information Technology, Food and Animal (ACIFAS 2020)
  87. Prediction model for agro-tourism development using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system method
  88. Special Issue of International Web Conference on Food Choice and Eating Motivation
  89. Can ingredients and information interventions affect the hedonic level and (emo-sensory) perceptions of the milk chocolate and cocoa drink’s consumers?
https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2022-0109
Keywords for this article
nutrient utilization; RAS; BFS; tilapia larvae
Creative Commons
BY 4.0

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Regular Articles
  2. Foliar application of boron positively affects the growth, yield, and oil content of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.)
  3. Impacts of adopting specialized agricultural programs relying on “good practice” – Empirical evidence from fruit growers in Vietnam
  4. Evaluation of 11 potential trap crops for root-knot nematode (RKN) control under glasshouse conditions
  5. Technical efficiency of resource-poor maize farmers in northern Ghana
  6. Bulk density: An index for measuring critical soil compaction levels for groundnut cultivation
  7. Efficiency of the European Union farm types: Scenarios with and without the 2013 CAP measures
  8. Participatory validation and optimization of the Triple S method for sweetpotato planting material conservation in southern Ethiopia
  9. Selection of high-yield maize hybrid under different cropping systems based on stability and adaptability parameters
  10. Soil test-based phosphorus fertilizer recommendation for malting barley production on Nitisols
  11. Effects of domestication and temperature on the growth and survival of the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) postlarvae
  12. Influence of irrigation regime on gas exchange, growth, and oil quality of field grown, Texas (USA) olive trees
  13. Present status and prospects of value addition industry for agricultural produce – A review
  14. Competitiveness and impact of government policy on chili in Indonesia
  15. Growth of Rucola on Mars soil simulant under the influence of pig slurry and earthworms
  16. Effect of potassium fertilizer application in teff yield and nutrient uptake on Vertisols in the central highlands of Ethiopia
  17. Dissection of social interaction and community engagement of smallholder oil palm in reducing conflict using soft system methodology
  18. Farmers’ perception, awareness, and constraints of organic rice farming in Indonesia
  19. Improving the capacity of local food network through local food hubs’ development
  20. Quality evaluation of gluten-free biscuits prepared with algarrobo flour as a partial sugar replacer
  21. Effect of pre-slaughter weight on morphological composition of pig carcasses
  22. Study of the impact of increasing the highest retail price of subsidized fertilizer on rice production in Indonesia
  23. Agrobiodiversity and perceived climatic change effect on family farming systems in semiarid tropics of Kenya
  24. Influences of inter- and intra-row spacing on the growth and head yield of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) in western Amhara, Ethiopia
  25. The supply chain and its development concept of fresh mulberry fruit in Thailand: Observations in Nan Province, the largest production area
  26. Toward achieving sustainable development agenda: Nexus between agriculture, trade openness, and oil rents in Nigeria
  27. Phenotyping cowpea accessions at the seedling stage for drought tolerance in controlled environments
  28. Apparent nutrient utilization and metabolic growth rate of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, cultured in recirculating aquaculture and biofloc systems
  29. Influence of season and rangeland-type on serum biochemistry of indigenous Zulu sheep
  30. Meta-analysis of responses of broiler chickens to Bacillus supplementation: Intestinal histomorphometry and blood immunoglobulin
  31. Weed composition and maize yield in a former tin-mining area: A case study in Malim Nawar, Malaysia
  32. Strategies for overcoming farmers’ lives in volcano-prone areas: A case study in Mount Semeru, Indonesia
  33. Principal component and cluster analyses based characterization of maize fields in southern central Rift Valley of Ethiopia
  34. Profitability and financial performance of European Union farms: An analysis at both regional and national levels
  35. Analysis of trends and variability of climatic parameters in Teff growing belts of Ethiopia
  36. Farmers’ food security in the volcanic area: A case in Mount Merapi, Indonesia
  37. Strategy to improve the sustainability of “porang” (Amorphophallus muelleri Blume) farming in support of the triple export movement policy in Indonesia
  38. Agrarian contracts, relations between agents, and perception on energy crops in the sugarcane supply chain: The Peruvian case
  39. Factors influencing the adoption of conservation agriculture by smallholder farmers in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
  40. Meta-analysis of zinc feed additive on enhancement of semen quality, fertility and hatchability performance in breeder chickens
  41. Meta-analysis of the potential of dietary Bacillus spp. in improving growth performance traits in broiler chickens
  42. Biocomposites from agricultural wastes and mycelia of a local mushroom, Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) Singer
  43. Cross transferability of barley nuclear SSRs to pearl millet genome provides new molecular tools for genetic analyses and marker assisted selection
  44. Detection of encapsulant addition in butterfly-pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) extract powder using visible–near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics analysis
  45. The willingness of farmers to preserve sustainable food agricultural land in Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  46. Transparent conductive far-infrared radiative film based on polyvinyl alcohol with carbon fiber apply in agriculture greenhouse
  47. Grain yield stability of black soybean lines across three agroecosystems in West Java, Indonesia
  48. Forms of land access in the sugarcane agroindustry: A comparison of Brazilian and Peruvian cases
  49. Assessment of the factors contributing to the lack of agricultural mechanization in Jiroft, Iran
  50. Do poor farmers have entrepreneurship skill, intention, and competence? Lessons from transmigration program in rural Gorontalo Province, Indonesia
  51. Communication networks used by smallholder livestock farmers during disease outbreaks: Case study in the Free State, South Africa
  52. Sustainability of Arabica coffee business in West Java, Indonesia: A multidimensional scaling approach
  53. Farmers’ perspectives on the adoption of smart farming technology to support food farming in Aceh Province, Indonesia
  54. Rice yield grown in different fertilizer combination and planting methods: Case study in Buru Island, Indonesia
  55. Paclobutrazol and benzylaminopurine improve potato yield grown under high temperatures in lowland and medium land
  56. Agricultural sciences publication activity in Russia and the impact of the national project “Science.” A bibliometric analysis
  57. Storage conditions and postharvest practices lead to aflatoxin contamination in maize in two counties (Makueni and Baringo) in Kenya
  58. Relationship of potato yield and factors of influence on the background of herbological protection
  59. Biology and life cycle Of Diatraea busckella (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) under simulated altitudinal profile in controlled conditions
  60. Evaluation of combustion characteristics performances and emissions of a diesel engine using diesel and biodiesel fuel blends containing graphene oxide nanoparticles
  61. Effect of various varieties and dosage of potassium fertilizer on growth, yield, and quality of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.)
  62. Review Articles
  63. Germination ecology of three Asteraceae annuals Arctotis hirsuta, Oncosiphon suffruticosum, and Cotula duckittiae in the winter-rainfall region of South Africa: A review
  64. Animal waste antibiotic residues and resistance genes: A review
  65. A brief and comprehensive history of the development and use of feed analysis: A review
  66. The evolving state of food security in Nigeria amidst the COVID-19 pandemic – A review
  67. Short Communication
  68. Response of cannabidiol hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) varieties grown in the southeastern United States to nitrogen fertilization
  69. Special Issue on the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research – Agrarian Sciences
  70. Special issue on the International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research – Agrarian Sciences: Message from the editor
  71. Maritime pine land use environmental impact evolution in the context of life cycle assessment
  72. Influence of different parameters on the characteristics of hazelnut (var. Grada de Viseu) grown in Portugal
  73. Organic food consumption and eating habit in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown
  74. Customer knowledge and behavior on the use of food refrigerated display cabinets: A Portuguese case
  75. Perceptions and knowledge regarding quality and safety of plastic materials used for food packaging
  76. Understanding the role of media and food labels to disseminate food related information in Lebanon
  77. Liquefaction and chemical composition of walnut shells
  78. Validation of an analytical methodology to determine humic substances using low-volume toxic reagents
  79. Special Issue on the International Conference on Agribusiness and Rural Development – IConARD 2020
  80. Behavioral response of breeder toward development program of Ongole crossbred cattle in Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia
  81. Special Issue on the 2nd ICSARD 2020
  82. Perceived attributes driving the adoption of system of rice intensification: The Indonesian farmers’ view
  83. Value-added analysis of Lactobacillus acidophilus cell encapsulation using Eucheuma cottonii by freeze-drying and spray-drying
  84. Investigating the elicited emotion of single-origin chocolate towards sustainable chocolate production in Indonesia
  85. Temperature and duration of vernalization effect on the vegetative growth of garlic (Allium sativum L.) clones in Indonesia
  86. Special Issue on Agriculture, Climate Change, Information Technology, Food and Animal (ACIFAS 2020)
  87. Prediction model for agro-tourism development using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system method
  88. Special Issue of International Web Conference on Food Choice and Eating Motivation
  89. Can ingredients and information interventions affect the hedonic level and (emo-sensory) perceptions of the milk chocolate and cocoa drink’s consumers?
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 17.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/opag-2022-0109/html
Scroll to top button