Polyculture and fish yield in rice-cum-fish culture system in Dadin Kowa, Gombe, Nigeria

Rice-cum-fish culture was carried out in Dadin Kowa rice fields, Gombe State, Nigeria with a view to determining the effect of different combination of Clarias gariepinus, Oreochromis niloticus and Cyprinus carpio on fish yield. Six rice paddy fields labeled A – C were used for the study. Raised rice seedlings (FARO 27) were transplanted in the paddies before flooding of water. The fish species were stocked at 200 fish / pond in three replicates in different combinations as treatments I, II and III. The fish were fed with wheat bran and rice bran at 5 % body weight. The lowest rice yield (2560 kg/ha) was obtained in the paddy where rice was grown without fish. The fish production recorded in treatment I (534 kg) is significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in other two treatments. It is therefore recommended that rice farmers using irrigation facilities of the river Basin Development Authorities should adopt the rice-cum-fish system for increased rice and fish production in Nigeria