Comparison of Bacterial Diversity in Water Samples of Aquaculture, Aquaponic and Hydroponic System

Abstract

Aquaponics is the production of aquatic organisms using less water while hydroponic is the production of vegetables and plants without soil. Microbial diversity in these culture systems includes bacteria, protists, fungi, and archaea. Among microbes, bacteria are a pivotal and crucial aspect of aquaponic, aquaculture, and hydroponic system, acts as the bridge connecting the waste of fish to the fertilizer for plants. Current research aims to compare the bacterial diversity in water samples of aquaculture, aquaponics, and hydroponic systems. For this purpose, water samples were taken from aquaculture, aquaponic, and hydroponic system. Aliquots of the samples were used for the isolation of bacterial species based on standard procedures. Colonies were purified after isolation by membrane filtration by twice subculturing using the method of streaking plate. Potential bacterial isolates were characterized and identified up to the specie level by following standard microbiological techniques. Different bacterial species were isolated from water samples during the study include Aeromonas spp., Bacillus spp., Nitrosomnas spp., Nitrobacter spp., Psuedomonas spp., Acinetobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Streptomyces spp., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus spp. Bacillus spp. present in all these systems. Nitrosomnas spp. and Psuedomonas spp., show similarity in an aquaponic and hydroponic system. Enterobacter spp., Streptomyces spp., shows similarity in aquaculture and hydroponic system. It is observed that the water was full of beneficial and pathogenic bacteria which exhibited potential impact on the cultured fish and plant species.