Title : Rice-tiger shrimp system in brackish water: An alternative for marginal land utilization
Abstract:
Saline intrusion in rice fields often compels farmers to abandon these areas, rendering them unproductive and fallow. This study explores an innovative solution: integrating a rice-shrimp system in the brackish water environment. We aimed to evaluate the implementation of this system, focusing on biota growth performance, water quality, and financial efficiency. The study area was designed with 70% allocated to salt-tolerant varieties of Irrigated Inbred Rice (Inpari 34 and Inpari 35) and 30% to tiger shrimp cultivation. Conducted over a single production cycle across two ponds, rice was planted 25 days after seeding, followed by an 85-day cultivation period. Shrimp were introduced at the post-larval stage after 50-day acclimatization at a salinity of approximately 5 ppt, with stocking occurring 25 days after rice planting at a density of 3 individuals/m², and harvested after 62 days. Growth and water quality were monitored biweekly, and yields were recorded at harvest. Results showed rice growth from an average height of 40 cm to 125 cm, yielding 9.98 ± 0.08 t/ha. The shrimp exhibited a survival rate of 27.33 ± 25.08%, averaging 12.94 ± 2.94 g in weight, resulting in an estimated production of 0.041 ± 0.020 t/ha. These findings suggest that integrating salt-tolerant rice varieties with shrimp cultivation in brackish water is feasible within a single system. This innovation presents a viable technological alternative for optimizing marginal lands, mitigating land conversion for residential purposes, and enhancing both agricultural and aquacultural productivity.
