Research Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Management. Vol. 2(9), pp. 270-276, September, 2013 Available online at http://www.apexjournal.org ISSN 2315 - 8719© 2013 Apex Journal International Full Length Research Paper Plankton production in relation to water quality parameters in lentic and lotic water bodies during post- monsoon season in the northwestern Bangladesh Saleha Jasmine 1 , Md. Rakibul Islam 1 , Md. Mosaddequr Rahman 1 , Md. Mostafizur Rahman Mondol 1 , Md. Abu Sayed Jewel 1 , Zubia Masood 2 , and Md. Yeamin Hossain 1 * 1 Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh 2 Department of Zoology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan Accepted 13 September, 2013 The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between plankton production and water quality parameters in lentic (two ponds: one with small area and another with large area) and lotic (Padma River) water bodies during post-monsoon season in the northwestern Bangladesh. Sampling was done fortnightly from September 2012 to November 2012. Results of the present study revealed significant difference in water transparency (Kruskal-Wallis test, P=0.523), dissolved oxygen (Kruskal- Wallis test, P = 0.049) and free carbon dioxide (Kruskal-wallis test, P = 0.091) among three investigated water bodies during post-monsoon season. However, there was no significant differences noted for water temperature (Kruskal-Wallis test, P = 0.751), pH (Kruskal-Wallis test, P = 0.172) and total alkalinity (Kruskal- Wallis test, P = 0.535) among the studied water bodies. Microscopic investigation suggested that, in the Padma River, Nauplius was the most dominant genus followed by Cyclops, Daphnia, Spirogyra, Chlorella, Microcystis, Navicula and Euglena. But in the small pond, Spirogyra was the most dominant genus followed by Nauplius, Daphnia, Cyclops, Chlorella, Microcystis, Navicula and Euglena, while both Daphnia and Nauplius were the most dominant genus followed by Spirogyra, Cyclops, Chlorella, Navicula, Microcystis and Euglena in the large pond. Although plankton production was not strongly correlated with temperature, transparency, pH and alkalinity in both Padma River and small pond but significant correlation was calculated among plankton production and dissolved oxygen and free carbon dioxide in these water bodies. However, in the large pond, plankton production was strongly correlated with transparency, dissolved oxygen and free carbon dioxide. The present study will provide an important basis to assess the fish production potentialities and to formulate sustainable aquaculture practices in man-made habitats and fishery management policies in the Padma River and nearby aquatic ecosystems. Key words: Plankton production, water quality parameters, lentic and lotic water bodies, Padma River. INTRODUCTION The water quality parameters (physico-chemical attributes) of an aquatic environment greatly influence its primary productivity and in turn the growth rate and development of fish. The productivity of freshwater community that controls the fish growth is regulated by the *Corresponding author. Email: yeamin2222@yahoo.com; yeamin.fish@ru.ac.bd dynamics of its physico-chemical and biotic environment (Wetzel, 1983). Thereby, overall productivity of any water body can easily be assumed from its primary productivity that forms the backbone of the aquatic food chains (Ahmed and Singh, 1989). The physico-chemical parameters including pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), alkalinity and the dissolved nutrients are important for plankton production (Bais and Agarwal, 1990) and thereby play vital role in fish production. Both the qualitative and quantitative