Iron and potassium fertilization improve rocket growth without affecting tilapia growth and histomorphology characteristics in aquaponics

Abstract

Aquaponics provides an alternative opportunity for the combined production of fish and plants. Most of the essential nutrients required for optimal plant growth can be supplied from the fish feed, except for K and Fe. These nutrients are usually inadequate in fish feed. In this study, red tilapia and rocket plants were co-cultivated in an aquaponics system along with the extra addition of K and Fe. Fish growth, morpho-anatomical characteristics, and K and Fe loading on fish gills were studied. Plant growth parameters were also determined. The addition of Fe and K slightly improved the produced fresh biomass of rocket per unit area and had no impact on tilapia growth and survival. No severe histological alterations in fish gills, liver, and midgut were detected. EDX analysis showed that the addition of K led to the enrichment of this specific ion in fish gills, but no effects of this accumulation were found on other aspects of fish growth and survival.