RAM-52 EFFECT OF FLURIDONE ON SUBMERGED AQUATIC WEEDS Subhendu Datta*, B. K. Mahapatra and Parimal Sardar Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Kolkata Centre, 32-GN Block, Sector-V, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700091, West Bengal *subhdatta@gmail.com Fluridone is anew systemic herbicide. It worked well for controlling four submerged weeds in the laboratory experiments. It was tested 0-90 ppb on three rooted submerged weeds i.e. YVallisneria, Najas, Hydrilla and one non-rooted submerged weeds i.e. Ceratophyllum in fibre tank with rohu fingerlings for 90 days. Herbicidal symptoms of fluridone appeared within seven to ten days and appeared as white (chlorotic) growing points in Najas, Hydrilla, Vallisneria or pink growing points in Ceratophyllum. Fluridone slowly killed weeds over 30-90 days time. Because of this, it didn’t pollute thé aquatic environment and fish didn’t suffer from oxygen deficiency. Plant health scores (of 10 plants from each treatment) at different dosages i.e. 0 (control), 10, 18.5, 25, 30, 60 and 90 ppb after 7, 45 and 90 days were analysed in SAS 9.2 software. It was found that effect increased with time and increased doses of the chemical in most of the cases. Effect of fluridone on four tested submerged weeds was (after 90 days for all dosages): Najas > Hydrilla = Vallisneria > Ceratophyllum and effect of dose of fluridone (for all weeds) was: 90 ppb> 60 ppb > 30 ppb = 25 ppb > 18.5 ppb > 10 ppb.Jn each treatment, three fingerlings of Rohu were released (length: 9.1-10.4 cm and weight: 17-37g) and acclimatized for 15 days, Fishes were healthy throughout the experiment, no mortality was observed, which signified that fluridone was not acutely toxic to fishes even at the highest dosages of the treatment. To assess the sub-lethal effect of fluridone, analysis of biochemical parameters of fish was conducted. Analysis ofblood biochemical parameters of fish reveled that Alanine amino transferase (ALT), Aspertate amino transferase (AST), Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Acid phosphatase (ACP), Total protein (TP), Albumin (Alb), Globuline (Glob), Albumin Globuline ratio (Alb:GIb) and Haemoglobin (Hb) were not significantly different in treatments than the control. This signified that fluridone had no toxic effect to fish at the dosages in which it killed the submerged weeds and itis safe for fishes. Fluridone inhibits the biosynthesis of carotenoid precursors. Since the carotenoid pigments protect chlorophylll from photodegradation, the inhibition of their synthesis removes this protective system from the plant and the chlorophyll becomes susceptible to degradation. Susceptibility of weed to fluridone varied depending on time of year, water movement and stage X Agricultural Science Congress 7 NBFGR, Lucknow, 10-12 February, 2071 325of growth, Best result was obtained when fluridone was applied prior to initiation of weed growth and when weeds begin active growth. Application to mature target plants required higher application rates and took longer time to control. Late spring to summer was ideal time for controlling the weeds as during this time weeds starts growing actively, sunlight and photosynthesis rate is higher. Rainy and winter season is not ideal. It was also observed that when weed plants were infested with algae (Chara, Nitella and filamentous species) both the algae and weed plants were not effectively controlled by fluridone. In conclusion it can be said that fluridone (Sonar®) is being used in developed countries but not yet registered in India, Presently the management of aquatic environment is the only option to control the submerged aquatic weeds as herbicides available in India are not effective to control submerged weeds. Herbicides were registered in India from the agricultural point of view, needs of fisheries were not considered, Now the time has come to recognize the importance of fisheries and aquaculture and take necessary steps in registering one or few aquatic herbicides for the benefit of this sector. X Agricultural Science Congress if NBFGR, Lucknow, 10-12 February, 2011 38