MUSCAT: Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) succeeded in farming and producing Asian seabass (barramundi) and cherry tomatoes through an aquaponics system.
Dr Wenresti Gallardo, Associate Professor at the Department of Marine Sciences and Fisheries in the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, tested more expensive fish and plants in the aquaponics system in a greenhouse at the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). The tests aimed to identify suitable fish and plant species that can grow in an aquaponics system in Oman’s climatic conditions.
Aquaponics is an environment-friendly way of growing both fish and plants in one system because water is recirculated and wastewater is not discharged to the environment. The wastewater is utilised for the growth of plants after the naturally occurring nitrifying bacteria have converted the ammonia to nitrite then to nitrate which serves as fertiliser for the plants. -- ONA
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