The study aims to assess productivity, economics, energy use efficiency and CO 2 e emission from ... more The study aims to assess productivity, economics, energy use efficiency and CO 2 e emission from integrated fish-duck farming system (IFDF system) in floodplains of the eastern India. A total of six fish ponds were constructed and developed as IFDF system under floodplains in which fingerlings were stocked @4000 acre-1 and integrated with 150 numbers of Khaki Campbell ducks. Average growth rate of fishes was recorded ranged from 27 g month-1 of mrigal to 31.7 g month-1 of grass carp and average body weight ranged from 465.2 g of mrigal to 823.2 g of grass carp. The fish equivalent yield was obtained as 3.06 t acre-1 year-1. The total energy input, output and energy use efficiency ratio estimated were 111.8 GJ and 21.2 GJ and 0.19, respectively. Net income earned was Rs. 234393 acre-1 year-1 and BC ratio estimated was 1.91. Further, 0.56 kg CO 2 e was emitted to produce 1.0 kg of fish equivalent, which was much lower than that of the production of rice, mutton and milk.
In this article, productivity and economic sustainability of integrated fish-duck farming in floo... more In this article, productivity and economic sustainability of integrated fish-duck farming in floodplain wetlands of East Champaran, Bihar was assessed. For which a total of six fish-duck IFS models were developed at farmers' field in floodplain areas. Fingerlings of cultivable major carps species were stocked together at the rate of 4000 acre-1 and integrated with 150 number of Khaki Campbell ducks. Average growth rate of fishes was recorded between 27 g to 32 g month-1 , and average body weight was found to be between 465 g to 823 g. Fish yield was estimated to be 2.25 tonnes acre-1 year-1 while getting ducks and eggs as additional produces. Further, the net economic return was estimated to be Rs. 2.34 lakh acre-1 year-1. Moreover, benefit-cost ratio was found to be 1.91. India occupies 0.55 million ha of floodplain wetlands, mostly distributed in the eastern region of India, where they are locally termed as Maun, Chaur, Dhar, Jheel, Tal, Pat, Beel and Boar (Sarkar and Borah, 2018). The floodplains are flat low-lying areas adjacent to rivers and streams experience periodical or permanent flooding, particularly during rainy season and characterized by soil with higher silt content (Meitzen, 2018). Integrated fish-duck farming enables efficient utilization of available resources, wastes recycling, provides additional income and food, and maintains ecological balance, hence considered as a sustainable farming system. Fish and duck get mutual benefits upon their coexistence , as excreta of duck containing essential nutrients is distributed evenly over the pond bottom which helps in escalation of plankton growth i.e. natural food of fishes. Also, ducks feeds on snails, tadpoles, insects and other benthic organisms which are considered either harmful or undesirable in fish ponds. Moreover, ducks help in aeration of pond water which increases the dissolved oxygen, further, during search of feed, duck excreta. Therefore, duck is often termed as "live manuring machine" and "bio-aerator" for fish pond. Fish productivity from floodplain wetlands of India varies from 0.05-1.1 tonne ha-1 year-1 , which is much lower, and can be increased significantlyif fish based integrated farming is done in such ecosystems (Prasad et al., 2020). Methods of estimation To assess fish productivity and economic sustainability of integrated fish-duck farming at farmers' field in floodplain areas, a total of six fish-cum-duck integrated farming models were developed at different villages namely Jasauli Patti, Chandrahiya, Chintamanpur and Khairimal Jamunia of East Champaran, Bihar. The size of ponds varied from 0.25 to 0.5 acre with an average water depth of 1.5 meter. Fertilization of the ponds was done about a month before stocking by applying dung manure, urea, DAP and MOP at the rate of 1000, 45, 15 and 10 kg per acre, respectively, for the development of natural food of fishes i.e. plankton. Fingerlings of catla and silver carp, rohu and grass carp and mrigal and common carp were stocked in 4:3:3 ratios, respectively at the rate of 4000 acre-1 in September, 2018 having an average body weight 28.5 g. The mixture of mustard oil cake and rice bran in 1:1 ratio was given as supplementary feed merely at the rate of 1.0 % of the total fish biomass on daily basis. Khaki Campbell ducks (150 nos. acre-1) with an average body weight 620 g were integrated and fed supplementary diets (mixture of wheat bran, paddy and maize) at the rate of 50 g day-1 duck-1 , and rest of the feed they obtained from the pond while swimming. Management practices like, netting, liming and disease monitoring were followed throughout the culture period of one year. For the economic analysis, cost of various inputs and outputs were considered based on the current price of each and every input and output in the local market. The net income was calculated by
Morphological variations among distinctly distributed populations of Channa gachua (Hamilton, 182... more Morphological variations among distinctly distributed populations of Channa gachua (Hamilton, 1822) from three different geographical locations in India, viz., Gangetic Plains (GP), Western Hills and Plateau (WHP) and Eastern Himalaya (EH), were studied based on 200 specimens collected from these regions. The average total length of C. gachua was recorded as 128.5±4.0 mm, 126.3±5.5 mm and 123.1±6.9 mm from GP, WHP and EH, respectively. The analysis revealed variations in sixteen morphometric variables out of twenty measured variables among the GP and other two populations (p<0.05), except eye diameter, head width, anal fin base length and caudal fin length. However, WHP and EH populations did not show any significant difference among the measured characters. Principal component analysis analysis (PCA) indicated that first three PCs explained 90.12% of the total variance. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) revealed that 108 out of 200 fish samples (54.0%) were correctly classified to the actual sampling locations whereas remaining samples (46.0%) showed overlapping spatial distribution. The corrected classification rate of each population ranged from 24% to 67%. It is concluded that despite morphometric variability in head and jaws, features among GP and other two populations studied, the three must still be considered to be of the same species. The study indicates the existence of two distinct stocks of C. gachua;-one in the Gangetic Plains and another in Western Hills and Plateau and Eastern Himalayan regions.
The present study was conducted during 2016-17 to assess the adoption of aquaculture practices an... more The present study was conducted during 2016-17 to assess the adoption of aquaculture practices and status of fish productivity in the Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. The total number of 51 fish farmers of eight different districts was selected for studying various pond management practices. It was found that annual average fish production in Eastern Uttar Pradesh significantly varies from 1570 to 2873 kg/ha/year based on different management practice and different combination of species. The highest annual average fish production was obtained 2873 kg/ha/year from the ponds in which combination six fish species (group c) were cultured together and fed with mustard oil cake, rice bran, grasses along with regular pond management practices including organic and inorganic fertilization. The education level of the owners of the fish farms was varied from graduate to illiterate and maximum owners (35.3 %) had educated only up to school level. There were 66.7 % fish farm owners having 6 to 10 members in their family. Introduction In recent years aquaculture is assuming increasing importance around the globe. In India, Aquaculture is rapidly growing with annual growth rate of over 7% [1]. The transformation of aquaculture from traditional to commercial scale has led to an increase in fish production from 0.75 MT in 1950-51 to 12.59 MT [2]. The national mean production level from ponds has gone up from about 0.6 t/ha/year in 1974 to 3.0 t/ha/year at present and several farmers are even demonstrating higher production levels of 8-12 t/ha/year [3]. India are bestowed with 3.15 million ha of reservoirs, 2.36 million ha of ponds and tanks as well as 0.19 million ha of rivers and canals. The state, Uttar Pradesh has vast inland aquatic resources which include rivers and rivulets, reservoirs, irrigation canals and floodplain wetland. The successful induced breeding and development of polyculture and composite fish culture technology led to the increased fish productivity. At present growth rate of aquaculture sector is has reported an annual growth rate over to 7% [1] and India is second largest fish producing country in the world [4]. Freshwater aquaculture contributes over 85% to the total aquaculture production. Besides meeting the nutritional requirement of fish eating population, the fisheries sector is also providing employment over 14.5 million people in the country. The fish culture systems adopted in the country varies greatly depending on the availability of inputs and as well as on the investment capabilities of the farmers. In polyculture system the combination of surface, column, and bottom inhabiting fish species, compatible in nature are recommended in order to utilize the natural food and space available in the different ecological niches of pond. Based on the intensity of inputs the fish farming is categorized as extensive, semi-intensive, intensive systems. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, semi-intensive carp poly-culture production system with low inputs and outputs are being extensively practiced. Consequently, the current work was undertaken to study the status of fish productivity, to study the extent of adoption of carp poly-culture and also to study the factors affecting fish production in terms of farm inputs.
Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Nor... more Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Northeastern India were studied to understand the dynamics of resource for suggesting necessary strategies for sustainable exploitation. A total of 1187 specimens were sampled to collect the length frequency data from May, 2015 to April, 2016. The length-weight relationship of the fish was found to be Log W =-4.08+2.9 LogL (r²=0.99). The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters i.e., asymptotic length (L ∞)and growth coefficient (K) were estimated using ELEFAN-I as 216.25 mm and 0.78 yr-1 respectively.The growth performance index (φ') was calculated as 4.56. The approximate longevity (T max) was estimated as 3.8 years. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) rates were estimated to be 1.95, 1.54 and 0.41 per year, respectively. The exploitation ratio (E) and exploitation rate (U) were observed to be 0.21 and 0.18, respectively. The results of relative yield-per-recruit (Y'/R) and relative biomass-per-recruit (B'/R) estimated as a function of Lc/L ∞ and M/K were 0.46 and 1.95 respectively. The MSY level was estimated at 3.8 tonnes per year at F factor-0.8. Since the current level of exploitation of the species is well below E max (0.50) and the observed landings are lower than the MSY level, it could be concluded that the fish is presently underexploited in the Lake. Reasonable fishing effort can be increased in order to obtain more yields so as to reach the MSY level and in that way increase the income of the economically poor fishermen communities of Northeastern India.
This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from ... more This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Aamghat, Haliyapur, Sultanpur district 26 0 29N and 81 0 44E, 751m (msl) Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 306 specimens were caught by random sampling method using traditional fishing gear as gillnet, cast net and dragnet of various mesh sizes from June 2016 to May 2017, once in a month. Total Length (mm) was measured from anterior-most part of the snout to the posterior-most part of the caudal fin and body weight (g) were taken by digital electronic balance. The analysis of data shows that the allometric coefficient is close to isometric value (3.0). Allometric growth indicates a more rotund population of fish when the values of growth coefficient are higher than 3.0 (b>3). If the value of growth coefficient is less than 3.0, the population of fish is known to be less rotund. Isometric growth indicates that the shape of fish does not change as it grows (b=3). The coefficient of determination (R 2) was also found significant (=0.97). Fulton's condition factor further supports the results obtained ranged from 1.041 to 1.660 shows the degree of well being of a fish. This study is helpful in providing relevant information in the assessment of stock and estimation of the fish condition about its environment.
The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics ... more The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics of ticto barb, Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A total of 90 specimens ranging from 37-90 mm in total length and 0.82-10.37g body weight were used for morphometric and meristic studies. The sampling was done on monthly basis from June 2015 to May 2016 using different fishing gears as cast net, gill net and drag net having mesh size of about 1.0-2.0 cm. A total of 15 morphometric measurements and 8 meristic characters were considered for the present study. The standard length and fork length was found to be 77.98% and 89.27% of the total length, respectively. The head length, dorsal fin length, pectoral fin length, anal fin length and snout length were calculated as 24.17%, 20.96%, 16.64%, 13.76% and 7.04% of the total length respectively. The pre-orbital length and post orbital length was calculated as 7.07% and 11.78% of the total length, respectively. The fin formulae of P. ticto was found to be as dorsal, D III, 8; pectoral, P1 I, 12-14; pelvic, P2 III, 5; anal, A II-III, 5 and caudal, C X, 9-10. The present study will be helpful in identification of the species and linear measurements can be used to determine population dynamics and health status of P. ticto in its natural habitat.
Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Nor... more Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Northeastern India were studied to understand the dynamics of resource for suggesting necessary strategies for sustainable exploitation. A total of 1187 specimens were sampled to collect the length frequency data from May, 2015 to April, 2016. The length-weight relationship of the fish was found to be Log W =-4.08+2.9 LogL (r²=0.99). The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters i.e., asymptotic length (L ∞)and growth coefficient (K) were estimated using ELEFAN-I as 216.25 mm and 0.78 yr-1 respectively.The growth performance index (φ') was calculated as 4.56. The approximate longevity (T max) was estimated as 3.8 years. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) rates were estimated to be 1.95, 1.54 and 0.41 per year, respectively. The exploitation ratio (E) and exploitation rate (U) were observed to be 0.21 and 0.18, respectively. The results of relative yield-per-recruit (Y'/R) and relative biomass-per-recruit (B'/R) estimated as a function of Lc/L ∞ and M/K were 0.46 and 1.95 respectively. The MSY level was estimated at 3.8 tonnes per year at F factor-0.8. Since the current level of exploitation of the species is well below E max (0.50) and the observed landings are lower than the MSY level, it could be concluded that the fish is presently underexploited in the Lake. Reasonable fishing effort can be increased in order to obtain more yields so as to reach the MSY level and in that way increase the income of the economically poor fishermen communities of Northeastern India.
Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry , 2018
The aim of this study was to assess the length-weight relationship as well as condition factor of... more The aim of this study was to assess the length-weight relationship as well as condition factor of a medium sized freshwater fish species i.e. Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar Lake, a Ramsar site, Tripura. For the aforesaid purpose, a total of 312 fish specimens were collected from June 2015 to December 2015 following random sampling approach using different types of fishing gears as gill net, cast net and drag net of various mesh sizes. The results revealed intercept 'a' and slope 'b' value as-1.868 and 3.044, respectively with R 2 = 0.99 at 95% confidence limit. This indicates growth in the species is isometric and statistically significant correlation found between length and weight of sampled fish. Isometric growth indicates that the shape of fish does change as it grows. The computed value of Fulton's condition factor ranged from 1.25 to 1.84 indicating good health condition of the fish. The average K value was obtained as 1.51 which is a sign of good health status of fish as well as its habitat. This study is useful in providing relevant information in understanding the biology of the fish, estimation of fish condition in its environment and in the assessment of population dynamic parameters. Introduction The length-weight relationship study is an approach to assess basic biological parameters fish population, widely considered in fisheries management as it provides information on stock's condition [1]. This relationship is used by fishery researchers and managers for two main purposes: one is to predict the weight from the length of a fish and second to compare the average associated parameters between fish groups spatially or temporally [2]. The morphometric relationships between length and weight can be used to assess the well-being of individuals and to determine possible differences between separate unit stocks of the same species [3]. Length-weight relationships analysis is done to predict weight from length measurements made in the yield assessment [4]. The fishes can have either isometric or allometric (negative or positive) growth. The isometric growth is associated with constant change of body shape in proportion to the size or length of an organism. The negative allometric growth means that the fish becomes more slender as it increases in length while positive allometric growth indicates relatively deeper-bodied as it increases in length [5]. It is an important tool for getting facts on the increment in weight as a function of length in that way monitoring the healthiness of the fish species under study [6, 7, 8]. In addition, length-length relationships are also important in fisheries management for comparative growth studies [9]. The condition factor is a measure of various ecological and biological factors such as degree of fitness, gonadal development and the suitability of the environment with regard to the feeding condition [10]. When condition factor value is higher it means that the fish is in a better condition. The condition factor of fish can be affected by a number of factors such as stress, sex, season, availability of feeds, and other water quality physico-chemical parameters [11]. The different values of condition factor 'K' is indicative of the state of degree of food source availability in its habitat [12]. To the best of knowledge no information is available on the length weight relationship and condition factor of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar Lake. The current study was planned to study the length-weight relationship as well as the condition factor of Anabas testudineus occurring in Rudrasagar Lake, a Ramsar site in Tripura.
The present study delineates Argulus japonicus infestation in Indian and Exotic major carps from ... more The present study delineates Argulus japonicus infestation in Indian and Exotic major carps from Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. A total of 2695 specimens were examined for the presence of the parasite out of which 378 specimens found to be infected. The maximum prevalence of the parasite was recorded from L. rohita and least from C. idella as 15.2% and 12.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed highest infestation in rohu as 18.5% from Kalinagar and lowest in grass carp as 6.0% from Pantnagar. Besides, the analyses indicated that the mean intensity of the parasitic infestation found to be established highest as 0.24±0.02 in Kalinagar while lowest as 0.12±0.02 in Pantnagar, however, as for as fish species is concerned, the mean intensity of Argulus infestation was recorded maximum from L. rohita and C. carpio as 0.84±0.22 and 0.84±0.24, respectively. The monthly variation in prevalence, abundance and mean intensity of the Argulus infestation have insinuated that the prevalence, abundance and mean intensity of the parasitic infestation recorded to be highest as 22.78±1.79%, 0.18±0.02 and 1.38±0.07, respectively, during the month of October among all the six fish species. The bigger size specimens (>25 cm) exhibited more parasitic infestation than the smaller ones. The treatment analysis has shown complete detachment of the parasite from the hosts when common salt's 3.0% solution for 5 minutes bath treatment applied. Also, the bath treatment with 0.1% solution of KMnO4 for 5 minutes caused complete removal of the parasite from the host fishes.
The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics ... more The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics of ticto barb, Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A total of 90 specimens ranging from 37-90 mm in total length and 0.82-10.37g body weight were used for morphometric and meristic studies. The sampling was done on monthly basis from June 2015 to May 2016 using different fishing gears as cast net, gill net and drag net having mesh size of about 1.0-2.0 cm. A total of 15 morphometric measurements and 8 meristic characters were considered for the present study. The standard length and fork length was found to be 77.98% and 89.27% of the total length, respectively. The head length, dorsal fin length, pectoral fin length, anal fin length and snout length were calculated as 24.17%, 20.96%, 16.64%, 13.76% and 7.04% of the total length respectively. The pre-orbital length and post orbital length was calculated as 7.07% and 11.78% of the total length, respectively. The fin formulae of P. ticto was found to be as dorsal, D III, 8; pectoral, P1 I, 12-14; pelvic, P2 III, 5; anal, A II-III, 5 and caudal, C X, 9-10. The present study will be helpful in identification of the species and linear measurements can be used to determine population dynamics and health status of P. ticto in its natural habitat.
This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from ... more This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Aamghat, Haliyapur, Sultanpur district 26 0 29N and 81 0 44E, 751m (msl) Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 306 specimens were caught by random sampling method using traditional fishing gear as gillnet, cast net and dragnet of various mesh sizes from June 2016 to May 2017, once in a month. Total Length (mm) was measured from anterior-most part of the snout to the posterior-most part of the caudal fin and body weight (g) were taken by digital electronic balance. The analysis of data shows that the allometric coefficient is close to isometric value (3.0). Allometric growth indicates a more rotund population of fish when the values of growth coefficient are higher than 3.0 (b>3). If the value of growth coefficient is less than 3.0, the population of fish is known to be less rotund. Isometric growth indicates that the shape of fish does not change as it grows (b=3). The coefficient of determination (R 2) was also found significant (=0.97). Fulton's condition factor further supports the results obtained ranged from 1.041 to 1.660 shows the degree of well being of a fish. This study is helpful in providing relevant information in the assessment of stock and estimation of the fish condition about its environment.
Based on shell morphology alone, it was difficult to differentiate the species belonging to genus... more Based on shell morphology alone, it was difficult to differentiate the species belonging to genus Thais because of large amount of plasticity, observed in the shell characters. The colour of the shells was poorly defined as species identifying character in Thais species. The morphometric and meristic characters of the shell along with radular characters can solve the taxonomic ambiguities in Thais species (Thais lacera; T. blanfordi; T. tissoti; T. rudolphi; T. bufo and T. subnodulosa). The radular morphology was found to be different in each species except in T. rudolphi and T. blanfordi and hence these two species were differentiated based on radular morphology where the first denticle on outer base of the lateral cusp was smaller than other five denticles in T. rudolphi but in T. blanfordi, all were same in size. A deep 'V' shaped notch was present between inner denticle base of lateral cusp and central cusp in T. blanfordi, which was found to be a species specific character.
Accurate species identification is essential for defining biological entities for sustainable man... more Accurate species identification is essential for defining biological entities for sustainable management and conservation. Species identification under the genus Thais (Mollusca:Neogastropoda: Muricidae) based on shell morphology often mystify due to the phenotype plasticity. In this study, the efficiency of DNA barcodes (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene – COI gene) was tested to discriminate six species of Thais from the west coast of India. The COI gene analysis revealed that the average transitional pairs (Si =56) were less than transversional pairs (Sv =59) with an average ratio of 0.93. The mean intraspecific and interspecific distances were 0.09±0.011 and 0.19±0.012, respectively. The average between species distance was 2 times more than within species distance. However, the DNA barcodes were not able to discriminate all the species with high barcode gap. Further, intraspecific distance values were estimated by including reported sequences from other geographical locations to test the DNA barcode efficiency in delineating conspecific individuals across different geographical locations.
The purpose of this study was to determine energy input, output and energy use efficiency of an a... more The purpose of this study was to determine energy input, output and energy use efficiency of an acre land based crop-livestock-poultry IFS model, developed at ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna during 2012-16. In the current investigation, total energy input in the experimental one-acre integrated farming model was calculated to be 45.08 GJ and total energy output obtained as 102.54 GJ, and resulted in energy use efficiency ratio as 2.27. Also, it was analysed that total energy input was required utmost for the goat rearing, i.e. 24.84 GJ/20 goats/year followed by field crops, vegetable, green fodders, fruits, poultry and mushroom cultivation. In the current IFS model labour, diesel and electrical energy inputs were required maximum in field crops. The direct and indirect energy sources were calculated and found to be invested utmost in field crops and goat rearing as 2.98 GJ and 24.53 GJ, respectively. Similarly, renewable and non-renewable energy sources were utilized in goat rearing and field crops as 24.39 GJ and 6.99 GJ, respectively. Moreover, energy use efficiency ratio was estimated highest in fodder crops (8.66) and lowest from goat rearing (0.17). It was found that goatry and poultry farming are of least energy efficient agricultural production systems, because they produced negative energy mileage. The energy use efficiency ratio for the main output has shown that green fodders and field crops yielded better energy productivity. The net energy gain was recorded maximum from field crops. The energy profitability analysis revealed that green fodders' cultivation was most profitable in terms of energy and produced EP ratio as 7.66 followed by field crops and vegetables, respectively.
The study aims to assess productivity, economics, energy use efficiency and CO 2 e emission from ... more The study aims to assess productivity, economics, energy use efficiency and CO 2 e emission from integrated fish-duck farming system (IFDF system) in floodplains of the eastern India. A total of six fish ponds were constructed and developed as IFDF system under floodplains in which fingerlings were stocked @4000 acre-1 and integrated with 150 numbers of Khaki Campbell ducks. Average growth rate of fishes was recorded ranged from 27 g month-1 of mrigal to 31.7 g month-1 of grass carp and average body weight ranged from 465.2 g of mrigal to 823.2 g of grass carp. The fish equivalent yield was obtained as 3.06 t acre-1 year-1. The total energy input, output and energy use efficiency ratio estimated were 111.8 GJ and 21.2 GJ and 0.19, respectively. Net income earned was Rs. 234393 acre-1 year-1 and BC ratio estimated was 1.91. Further, 0.56 kg CO 2 e was emitted to produce 1.0 kg of fish equivalent, which was much lower than that of the production of rice, mutton and milk.
In this article, productivity and economic sustainability of integrated fish-duck farming in floo... more In this article, productivity and economic sustainability of integrated fish-duck farming in floodplain wetlands of East Champaran, Bihar was assessed. For which a total of six fish-duck IFS models were developed at farmers' field in floodplain areas. Fingerlings of cultivable major carps species were stocked together at the rate of 4000 acre-1 and integrated with 150 number of Khaki Campbell ducks. Average growth rate of fishes was recorded between 27 g to 32 g month-1 , and average body weight was found to be between 465 g to 823 g. Fish yield was estimated to be 2.25 tonnes acre-1 year-1 while getting ducks and eggs as additional produces. Further, the net economic return was estimated to be Rs. 2.34 lakh acre-1 year-1. Moreover, benefit-cost ratio was found to be 1.91. India occupies 0.55 million ha of floodplain wetlands, mostly distributed in the eastern region of India, where they are locally termed as Maun, Chaur, Dhar, Jheel, Tal, Pat, Beel and Boar (Sarkar and Borah, 2018). The floodplains are flat low-lying areas adjacent to rivers and streams experience periodical or permanent flooding, particularly during rainy season and characterized by soil with higher silt content (Meitzen, 2018). Integrated fish-duck farming enables efficient utilization of available resources, wastes recycling, provides additional income and food, and maintains ecological balance, hence considered as a sustainable farming system. Fish and duck get mutual benefits upon their coexistence , as excreta of duck containing essential nutrients is distributed evenly over the pond bottom which helps in escalation of plankton growth i.e. natural food of fishes. Also, ducks feeds on snails, tadpoles, insects and other benthic organisms which are considered either harmful or undesirable in fish ponds. Moreover, ducks help in aeration of pond water which increases the dissolved oxygen, further, during search of feed, duck excreta. Therefore, duck is often termed as "live manuring machine" and "bio-aerator" for fish pond. Fish productivity from floodplain wetlands of India varies from 0.05-1.1 tonne ha-1 year-1 , which is much lower, and can be increased significantlyif fish based integrated farming is done in such ecosystems (Prasad et al., 2020). Methods of estimation To assess fish productivity and economic sustainability of integrated fish-duck farming at farmers' field in floodplain areas, a total of six fish-cum-duck integrated farming models were developed at different villages namely Jasauli Patti, Chandrahiya, Chintamanpur and Khairimal Jamunia of East Champaran, Bihar. The size of ponds varied from 0.25 to 0.5 acre with an average water depth of 1.5 meter. Fertilization of the ponds was done about a month before stocking by applying dung manure, urea, DAP and MOP at the rate of 1000, 45, 15 and 10 kg per acre, respectively, for the development of natural food of fishes i.e. plankton. Fingerlings of catla and silver carp, rohu and grass carp and mrigal and common carp were stocked in 4:3:3 ratios, respectively at the rate of 4000 acre-1 in September, 2018 having an average body weight 28.5 g. The mixture of mustard oil cake and rice bran in 1:1 ratio was given as supplementary feed merely at the rate of 1.0 % of the total fish biomass on daily basis. Khaki Campbell ducks (150 nos. acre-1) with an average body weight 620 g were integrated and fed supplementary diets (mixture of wheat bran, paddy and maize) at the rate of 50 g day-1 duck-1 , and rest of the feed they obtained from the pond while swimming. Management practices like, netting, liming and disease monitoring were followed throughout the culture period of one year. For the economic analysis, cost of various inputs and outputs were considered based on the current price of each and every input and output in the local market. The net income was calculated by
Morphological variations among distinctly distributed populations of Channa gachua (Hamilton, 182... more Morphological variations among distinctly distributed populations of Channa gachua (Hamilton, 1822) from three different geographical locations in India, viz., Gangetic Plains (GP), Western Hills and Plateau (WHP) and Eastern Himalaya (EH), were studied based on 200 specimens collected from these regions. The average total length of C. gachua was recorded as 128.5±4.0 mm, 126.3±5.5 mm and 123.1±6.9 mm from GP, WHP and EH, respectively. The analysis revealed variations in sixteen morphometric variables out of twenty measured variables among the GP and other two populations (p<0.05), except eye diameter, head width, anal fin base length and caudal fin length. However, WHP and EH populations did not show any significant difference among the measured characters. Principal component analysis analysis (PCA) indicated that first three PCs explained 90.12% of the total variance. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) revealed that 108 out of 200 fish samples (54.0%) were correctly classified to the actual sampling locations whereas remaining samples (46.0%) showed overlapping spatial distribution. The corrected classification rate of each population ranged from 24% to 67%. It is concluded that despite morphometric variability in head and jaws, features among GP and other two populations studied, the three must still be considered to be of the same species. The study indicates the existence of two distinct stocks of C. gachua;-one in the Gangetic Plains and another in Western Hills and Plateau and Eastern Himalayan regions.
The present study was conducted during 2016-17 to assess the adoption of aquaculture practices an... more The present study was conducted during 2016-17 to assess the adoption of aquaculture practices and status of fish productivity in the Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. The total number of 51 fish farmers of eight different districts was selected for studying various pond management practices. It was found that annual average fish production in Eastern Uttar Pradesh significantly varies from 1570 to 2873 kg/ha/year based on different management practice and different combination of species. The highest annual average fish production was obtained 2873 kg/ha/year from the ponds in which combination six fish species (group c) were cultured together and fed with mustard oil cake, rice bran, grasses along with regular pond management practices including organic and inorganic fertilization. The education level of the owners of the fish farms was varied from graduate to illiterate and maximum owners (35.3 %) had educated only up to school level. There were 66.7 % fish farm owners having 6 to 10 members in their family. Introduction In recent years aquaculture is assuming increasing importance around the globe. In India, Aquaculture is rapidly growing with annual growth rate of over 7% [1]. The transformation of aquaculture from traditional to commercial scale has led to an increase in fish production from 0.75 MT in 1950-51 to 12.59 MT [2]. The national mean production level from ponds has gone up from about 0.6 t/ha/year in 1974 to 3.0 t/ha/year at present and several farmers are even demonstrating higher production levels of 8-12 t/ha/year [3]. India are bestowed with 3.15 million ha of reservoirs, 2.36 million ha of ponds and tanks as well as 0.19 million ha of rivers and canals. The state, Uttar Pradesh has vast inland aquatic resources which include rivers and rivulets, reservoirs, irrigation canals and floodplain wetland. The successful induced breeding and development of polyculture and composite fish culture technology led to the increased fish productivity. At present growth rate of aquaculture sector is has reported an annual growth rate over to 7% [1] and India is second largest fish producing country in the world [4]. Freshwater aquaculture contributes over 85% to the total aquaculture production. Besides meeting the nutritional requirement of fish eating population, the fisheries sector is also providing employment over 14.5 million people in the country. The fish culture systems adopted in the country varies greatly depending on the availability of inputs and as well as on the investment capabilities of the farmers. In polyculture system the combination of surface, column, and bottom inhabiting fish species, compatible in nature are recommended in order to utilize the natural food and space available in the different ecological niches of pond. Based on the intensity of inputs the fish farming is categorized as extensive, semi-intensive, intensive systems. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, semi-intensive carp poly-culture production system with low inputs and outputs are being extensively practiced. Consequently, the current work was undertaken to study the status of fish productivity, to study the extent of adoption of carp poly-culture and also to study the factors affecting fish production in terms of farm inputs.
Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Nor... more Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Northeastern India were studied to understand the dynamics of resource for suggesting necessary strategies for sustainable exploitation. A total of 1187 specimens were sampled to collect the length frequency data from May, 2015 to April, 2016. The length-weight relationship of the fish was found to be Log W =-4.08+2.9 LogL (r²=0.99). The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters i.e., asymptotic length (L ∞)and growth coefficient (K) were estimated using ELEFAN-I as 216.25 mm and 0.78 yr-1 respectively.The growth performance index (φ') was calculated as 4.56. The approximate longevity (T max) was estimated as 3.8 years. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) rates were estimated to be 1.95, 1.54 and 0.41 per year, respectively. The exploitation ratio (E) and exploitation rate (U) were observed to be 0.21 and 0.18, respectively. The results of relative yield-per-recruit (Y'/R) and relative biomass-per-recruit (B'/R) estimated as a function of Lc/L ∞ and M/K were 0.46 and 1.95 respectively. The MSY level was estimated at 3.8 tonnes per year at F factor-0.8. Since the current level of exploitation of the species is well below E max (0.50) and the observed landings are lower than the MSY level, it could be concluded that the fish is presently underexploited in the Lake. Reasonable fishing effort can be increased in order to obtain more yields so as to reach the MSY level and in that way increase the income of the economically poor fishermen communities of Northeastern India.
This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from ... more This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Aamghat, Haliyapur, Sultanpur district 26 0 29N and 81 0 44E, 751m (msl) Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 306 specimens were caught by random sampling method using traditional fishing gear as gillnet, cast net and dragnet of various mesh sizes from June 2016 to May 2017, once in a month. Total Length (mm) was measured from anterior-most part of the snout to the posterior-most part of the caudal fin and body weight (g) were taken by digital electronic balance. The analysis of data shows that the allometric coefficient is close to isometric value (3.0). Allometric growth indicates a more rotund population of fish when the values of growth coefficient are higher than 3.0 (b>3). If the value of growth coefficient is less than 3.0, the population of fish is known to be less rotund. Isometric growth indicates that the shape of fish does not change as it grows (b=3). The coefficient of determination (R 2) was also found significant (=0.97). Fulton's condition factor further supports the results obtained ranged from 1.041 to 1.660 shows the degree of well being of a fish. This study is helpful in providing relevant information in the assessment of stock and estimation of the fish condition about its environment.
The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics ... more The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics of ticto barb, Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A total of 90 specimens ranging from 37-90 mm in total length and 0.82-10.37g body weight were used for morphometric and meristic studies. The sampling was done on monthly basis from June 2015 to May 2016 using different fishing gears as cast net, gill net and drag net having mesh size of about 1.0-2.0 cm. A total of 15 morphometric measurements and 8 meristic characters were considered for the present study. The standard length and fork length was found to be 77.98% and 89.27% of the total length, respectively. The head length, dorsal fin length, pectoral fin length, anal fin length and snout length were calculated as 24.17%, 20.96%, 16.64%, 13.76% and 7.04% of the total length respectively. The pre-orbital length and post orbital length was calculated as 7.07% and 11.78% of the total length, respectively. The fin formulae of P. ticto was found to be as dorsal, D III, 8; pectoral, P1 I, 12-14; pelvic, P2 III, 5; anal, A II-III, 5 and caudal, C X, 9-10. The present study will be helpful in identification of the species and linear measurements can be used to determine population dynamics and health status of P. ticto in its natural habitat.
Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Nor... more Population characteristics and exploitation level of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar lake, Northeastern India were studied to understand the dynamics of resource for suggesting necessary strategies for sustainable exploitation. A total of 1187 specimens were sampled to collect the length frequency data from May, 2015 to April, 2016. The length-weight relationship of the fish was found to be Log W =-4.08+2.9 LogL (r²=0.99). The Von Bertalanffy growth parameters i.e., asymptotic length (L ∞)and growth coefficient (K) were estimated using ELEFAN-I as 216.25 mm and 0.78 yr-1 respectively.The growth performance index (φ') was calculated as 4.56. The approximate longevity (T max) was estimated as 3.8 years. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) rates were estimated to be 1.95, 1.54 and 0.41 per year, respectively. The exploitation ratio (E) and exploitation rate (U) were observed to be 0.21 and 0.18, respectively. The results of relative yield-per-recruit (Y'/R) and relative biomass-per-recruit (B'/R) estimated as a function of Lc/L ∞ and M/K were 0.46 and 1.95 respectively. The MSY level was estimated at 3.8 tonnes per year at F factor-0.8. Since the current level of exploitation of the species is well below E max (0.50) and the observed landings are lower than the MSY level, it could be concluded that the fish is presently underexploited in the Lake. Reasonable fishing effort can be increased in order to obtain more yields so as to reach the MSY level and in that way increase the income of the economically poor fishermen communities of Northeastern India.
Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry , 2018
The aim of this study was to assess the length-weight relationship as well as condition factor of... more The aim of this study was to assess the length-weight relationship as well as condition factor of a medium sized freshwater fish species i.e. Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar Lake, a Ramsar site, Tripura. For the aforesaid purpose, a total of 312 fish specimens were collected from June 2015 to December 2015 following random sampling approach using different types of fishing gears as gill net, cast net and drag net of various mesh sizes. The results revealed intercept 'a' and slope 'b' value as-1.868 and 3.044, respectively with R 2 = 0.99 at 95% confidence limit. This indicates growth in the species is isometric and statistically significant correlation found between length and weight of sampled fish. Isometric growth indicates that the shape of fish does change as it grows. The computed value of Fulton's condition factor ranged from 1.25 to 1.84 indicating good health condition of the fish. The average K value was obtained as 1.51 which is a sign of good health status of fish as well as its habitat. This study is useful in providing relevant information in understanding the biology of the fish, estimation of fish condition in its environment and in the assessment of population dynamic parameters. Introduction The length-weight relationship study is an approach to assess basic biological parameters fish population, widely considered in fisheries management as it provides information on stock's condition [1]. This relationship is used by fishery researchers and managers for two main purposes: one is to predict the weight from the length of a fish and second to compare the average associated parameters between fish groups spatially or temporally [2]. The morphometric relationships between length and weight can be used to assess the well-being of individuals and to determine possible differences between separate unit stocks of the same species [3]. Length-weight relationships analysis is done to predict weight from length measurements made in the yield assessment [4]. The fishes can have either isometric or allometric (negative or positive) growth. The isometric growth is associated with constant change of body shape in proportion to the size or length of an organism. The negative allometric growth means that the fish becomes more slender as it increases in length while positive allometric growth indicates relatively deeper-bodied as it increases in length [5]. It is an important tool for getting facts on the increment in weight as a function of length in that way monitoring the healthiness of the fish species under study [6, 7, 8]. In addition, length-length relationships are also important in fisheries management for comparative growth studies [9]. The condition factor is a measure of various ecological and biological factors such as degree of fitness, gonadal development and the suitability of the environment with regard to the feeding condition [10]. When condition factor value is higher it means that the fish is in a better condition. The condition factor of fish can be affected by a number of factors such as stress, sex, season, availability of feeds, and other water quality physico-chemical parameters [11]. The different values of condition factor 'K' is indicative of the state of degree of food source availability in its habitat [12]. To the best of knowledge no information is available on the length weight relationship and condition factor of Anabas testudineus from Rudrasagar Lake. The current study was planned to study the length-weight relationship as well as the condition factor of Anabas testudineus occurring in Rudrasagar Lake, a Ramsar site in Tripura.
The present study delineates Argulus japonicus infestation in Indian and Exotic major carps from ... more The present study delineates Argulus japonicus infestation in Indian and Exotic major carps from Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand. A total of 2695 specimens were examined for the presence of the parasite out of which 378 specimens found to be infected. The maximum prevalence of the parasite was recorded from L. rohita and least from C. idella as 15.2% and 12.0%, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed highest infestation in rohu as 18.5% from Kalinagar and lowest in grass carp as 6.0% from Pantnagar. Besides, the analyses indicated that the mean intensity of the parasitic infestation found to be established highest as 0.24±0.02 in Kalinagar while lowest as 0.12±0.02 in Pantnagar, however, as for as fish species is concerned, the mean intensity of Argulus infestation was recorded maximum from L. rohita and C. carpio as 0.84±0.22 and 0.84±0.24, respectively. The monthly variation in prevalence, abundance and mean intensity of the Argulus infestation have insinuated that the prevalence, abundance and mean intensity of the parasitic infestation recorded to be highest as 22.78±1.79%, 0.18±0.02 and 1.38±0.07, respectively, during the month of October among all the six fish species. The bigger size specimens (>25 cm) exhibited more parasitic infestation than the smaller ones. The treatment analysis has shown complete detachment of the parasite from the hosts when common salt's 3.0% solution for 5 minutes bath treatment applied. Also, the bath treatment with 0.1% solution of KMnO4 for 5 minutes caused complete removal of the parasite from the host fishes.
The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics ... more The present study aims to illustrate the morphometric relationships and meristic characteristics of ticto barb, Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. A total of 90 specimens ranging from 37-90 mm in total length and 0.82-10.37g body weight were used for morphometric and meristic studies. The sampling was done on monthly basis from June 2015 to May 2016 using different fishing gears as cast net, gill net and drag net having mesh size of about 1.0-2.0 cm. A total of 15 morphometric measurements and 8 meristic characters were considered for the present study. The standard length and fork length was found to be 77.98% and 89.27% of the total length, respectively. The head length, dorsal fin length, pectoral fin length, anal fin length and snout length were calculated as 24.17%, 20.96%, 16.64%, 13.76% and 7.04% of the total length respectively. The pre-orbital length and post orbital length was calculated as 7.07% and 11.78% of the total length, respectively. The fin formulae of P. ticto was found to be as dorsal, D III, 8; pectoral, P1 I, 12-14; pelvic, P2 III, 5; anal, A II-III, 5 and caudal, C X, 9-10. The present study will be helpful in identification of the species and linear measurements can be used to determine population dynamics and health status of P. ticto in its natural habitat.
This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from ... more This study describes the length-weight relation (LWR) of small indigenous fish Pethia ticto from Gomti River, Aamghat, Haliyapur, Sultanpur district 26 0 29N and 81 0 44E, 751m (msl) Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 306 specimens were caught by random sampling method using traditional fishing gear as gillnet, cast net and dragnet of various mesh sizes from June 2016 to May 2017, once in a month. Total Length (mm) was measured from anterior-most part of the snout to the posterior-most part of the caudal fin and body weight (g) were taken by digital electronic balance. The analysis of data shows that the allometric coefficient is close to isometric value (3.0). Allometric growth indicates a more rotund population of fish when the values of growth coefficient are higher than 3.0 (b>3). If the value of growth coefficient is less than 3.0, the population of fish is known to be less rotund. Isometric growth indicates that the shape of fish does not change as it grows (b=3). The coefficient of determination (R 2) was also found significant (=0.97). Fulton's condition factor further supports the results obtained ranged from 1.041 to 1.660 shows the degree of well being of a fish. This study is helpful in providing relevant information in the assessment of stock and estimation of the fish condition about its environment.
Based on shell morphology alone, it was difficult to differentiate the species belonging to genus... more Based on shell morphology alone, it was difficult to differentiate the species belonging to genus Thais because of large amount of plasticity, observed in the shell characters. The colour of the shells was poorly defined as species identifying character in Thais species. The morphometric and meristic characters of the shell along with radular characters can solve the taxonomic ambiguities in Thais species (Thais lacera; T. blanfordi; T. tissoti; T. rudolphi; T. bufo and T. subnodulosa). The radular morphology was found to be different in each species except in T. rudolphi and T. blanfordi and hence these two species were differentiated based on radular morphology where the first denticle on outer base of the lateral cusp was smaller than other five denticles in T. rudolphi but in T. blanfordi, all were same in size. A deep 'V' shaped notch was present between inner denticle base of lateral cusp and central cusp in T. blanfordi, which was found to be a species specific character.
Accurate species identification is essential for defining biological entities for sustainable man... more Accurate species identification is essential for defining biological entities for sustainable management and conservation. Species identification under the genus Thais (Mollusca:Neogastropoda: Muricidae) based on shell morphology often mystify due to the phenotype plasticity. In this study, the efficiency of DNA barcodes (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene – COI gene) was tested to discriminate six species of Thais from the west coast of India. The COI gene analysis revealed that the average transitional pairs (Si =56) were less than transversional pairs (Sv =59) with an average ratio of 0.93. The mean intraspecific and interspecific distances were 0.09±0.011 and 0.19±0.012, respectively. The average between species distance was 2 times more than within species distance. However, the DNA barcodes were not able to discriminate all the species with high barcode gap. Further, intraspecific distance values were estimated by including reported sequences from other geographical locations to test the DNA barcode efficiency in delineating conspecific individuals across different geographical locations.
The purpose of this study was to determine energy input, output and energy use efficiency of an a... more The purpose of this study was to determine energy input, output and energy use efficiency of an acre land based crop-livestock-poultry IFS model, developed at ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Patna during 2012-16. In the current investigation, total energy input in the experimental one-acre integrated farming model was calculated to be 45.08 GJ and total energy output obtained as 102.54 GJ, and resulted in energy use efficiency ratio as 2.27. Also, it was analysed that total energy input was required utmost for the goat rearing, i.e. 24.84 GJ/20 goats/year followed by field crops, vegetable, green fodders, fruits, poultry and mushroom cultivation. In the current IFS model labour, diesel and electrical energy inputs were required maximum in field crops. The direct and indirect energy sources were calculated and found to be invested utmost in field crops and goat rearing as 2.98 GJ and 24.53 GJ, respectively. Similarly, renewable and non-renewable energy sources were utilized in goat rearing and field crops as 24.39 GJ and 6.99 GJ, respectively. Moreover, energy use efficiency ratio was estimated highest in fodder crops (8.66) and lowest from goat rearing (0.17). It was found that goatry and poultry farming are of least energy efficient agricultural production systems, because they produced negative energy mileage. The energy use efficiency ratio for the main output has shown that green fodders and field crops yielded better energy productivity. The net energy gain was recorded maximum from field crops. The energy profitability analysis revealed that green fodders' cultivation was most profitable in terms of energy and produced EP ratio as 7.66 followed by field crops and vegetables, respectively.
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=59) with an average ratio of 0.93. The mean intraspecific and interspecific distances were 0.09±0.011 and 0.19±0.012, respectively. The average between species distance was 2 times more than within species distance. However, the DNA barcodes were not able to discriminate all the species with high barcode gap. Further, intraspecific distance values were estimated by including reported sequences from other geographical locations to test the DNA barcode efficiency in delineating conspecific individuals across different geographical locations.
=59) with an average ratio of 0.93. The mean intraspecific and interspecific distances were 0.09±0.011 and 0.19±0.012, respectively. The average between species distance was 2 times more than within species distance. However, the DNA barcodes were not able to discriminate all the species with high barcode gap. Further, intraspecific distance values were estimated by including reported sequences from other geographical locations to test the DNA barcode efficiency in delineating conspecific individuals across different geographical locations.