Land characteristics and suitability for tilapia culture at different seasons in brackish water ponds of Bontoa Subdistrict, Maros Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Non-shrimp commodities diversification is an alternative for increasing aquaculture production, including brackish water ponds in Bontoa Subdistrict, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Therefore, a study was conducted to analysis land characteristics in an effort to determine land suitability for tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in ponds at different seasons. Factors considered in determining land characteristics and suitability are topography and tide, soil quality, water quality, and climate. Spatial analysis in Geographic Information Systems is used in determining land suitability for tilapia in ponds. The results showed that the land of ponds in the Bontoa Subdistrict has a slope of less than 2%, a tide of 1.38 m, dominated by acid sulfate soil, low water salinity in the rainy season and relatively high of salinity in the dry season with rainfall reaches 3,531 mm/year. In rainy season, from 3,072.6 ha of ponds in Bontoa Subdistrict, 252.2 ha classified as highly suitable (S1 class) and 2,820.4 ha is moderately suitable (S2 class) for tilapia, while in dry season which is moderately suitable (S2 class) area of 2,207.9 ha and classified as not suitable (N class) area of 864.7 ha. High water salinity in the dry season in Bontoa Subdistrict is the main limiting factor for tilapia in ponds.