The Government of India, assisted by the United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is engaged in the Intensification of Freshwater Fish Culture and Training Project (IND/75/031) whose main purpose is to strengthen central research training and demonstration facilities, to train specialized staff, and to formulate and implement research and demonstration programmes.
As part of the project operation, FAO assigned Dr J. Olah as Consultant (Pond Microbiology) from 10 January to 6 April 1983 with the following terms of reference:
Under the supervision of the National Project Director to undertake the following investigations:
To initiate investigations into the inorganic, microbiological and viral properties of the decomposing sediment on the pond bottom and their role in the production process both in drainable and undrainable ponds.
To initiate investigation into the biochemical transformation of autochthonous and allochthonous organic and inorganic substances contributing to soil fertility in drainable and undrainable ponds.
To review the research carried out on quantification of the basic production process both in the water column and at the sediment water interface and plan future research to determine the production process in drainable and undrainable ponds.
The Freshwater Aquaculture Research and Training Centre (FARTC), Dhauli, is involved in extensive research on increasing the survival and growth rates of fish in nursery, rearing and stock ponds. By adjusting the pH of the soil, adding nutrients in the form of organic and inorganic manures, and supplying supplementary feed to the fish, it has been possible to produce 10 t of fish/ha/year. However, the basic biology of the pond remains to be understood in terms of pond productivity and the inorganic, organic, biological and microbiological properties of the water and its soil. Taking into consideration the natural productivity of the pond and its flora and fauna, microfauna in particular must be investigated in order to optimize production.
The consultant was based at FARTC. He worked with a group of 6–9 young scientists comprising chemists, biologists, microbiologists. He was in close touch with the ongoing research work, and also had discussions on the problems of undrainable ponds with the National Project Director, Dr V.R.P. Sinha, and the Director of CIFRI, Dr A.V. Natarajan.
