The substrate induced periphyton biomass in zerowater exchange ponds gave significantly higher yield (4.96 t ha-1), nutritional water productivity (NWPprotein, 0.056 kg m-3), economic water productivity (INR 14.5 m-3) lesser CWUI (4.8 m3 kg-1 biomass), sediment load (24.2 m3 t-1 biomass), water footprint (2802 m3 t-1) and reduced supplemental feed input by 23-24%. These findings highlight periphyton-based management as a sustainable approach to enhancing water use efficiency and fish production in polyculture systems.
