Substitution of Granular for Liquid Fertilizers for the Production of Juvenile Walleye, Stizostedion vitreum, in Earthen Ponds

ABSTRACT

Earthen culture ponds at Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania were stocked with walleye fry and fertilized twice weekly with equal amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen, using either liquid fertilizers or granular fertilizers dissolved in water and applied as liquids. Fish growth and production were at levels common for this species and were not affected by fertilizer treatment. Ponds harvested latest in the season showed a significant reduction in fish survival, but this effect was probably due to warm temperatures rather than the type of fertilizer used. These results suggest that granular salts of nitrogen and phosphorus dissolved in water prior to application may be substituted for liquid materials for fertilization of walleye ponds.

Key Words:

• Juvenile walleye
• pond culture
• inorganic fertilization