Vol. 10, Issue 1, Part A (2026)

The present study was carried out assess the water, soil quality parameters and health status of selected earthen ponds of Litopenaeus vannamei (white leg shrimp) situated at Fisheries Research and Information Center (Marine), Bela, Ankola, Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka over a culture period. Physico-chemical parameters of water and soil were analysed by standard methods. The study was conducted during the period of March-June (P1 and P2). The results indicated that some parameters with slight deviation compared with the optimal water quality values. Soil quality and pond bottom soil processes, as well as the association between ponds soil and water, are important for fish or shrimp growth. Water and sediment quality play an important part in enhancing the pond's overall production. The water quality parameters namely temperature, pH, alkalinity, salinity, DO, BOD, TSS, TDS, NH₃-N, NO₂-N, NO₃-N, PO₄-P and SiO₃-Si were found to vary from 28.5-34.0° C, 7.8-8.2, 73-115 ppm, 14-34 PSU, 4.07-8.95 mg/l, 2.03-6.10 mg/l, 0.032-0.21 g/l, 18.23-67.04 g/l, 0.25-10.48 µg-at/l, 0.20-1.52 µg-at/l, 0.06-6.57 µg-at/l, 0.17-2.31 µg-at/l and 7.63-90.80 µg-at/l respectively. The soil parameters comprising of temperature, pH, organic carbon, texture ranged from 29.0-34.5°C, 7.4-8.4, 0.26-1.38%, Sand:59.51-86.45%; Clay:1.30-2.45%; Silt:11.55-38.04%, respectively. The results of health status analysis showed negative for commonly tested viruses namely WSSV, MBV, IHHNV, HPV and EHP due to good pre-stocking management practices. By adopting better management practices, the production could be increased. Thus, with the ideal range of water and soil parameters, there exists a great potential for brackish water shrimp farming in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka.