Condition and relative condition cycles in the tropical glassy perchlet Chanda (=Ambassis)commersonii(Cuv. and Val.) (Pisces: Centropomidae)

The seasonal condition (K) and relative condition (K n ) cycles and their changes with the growth of the fish Chanda commersonii (Cuv. and Val.) for 2 yrs are presented. Better K is shown by the smaller immature and first maturity stages and larger, almost senile groups but they show a K n factor below '1'. The actively breeding adults show a uniform fail inK but they give comparatively high K n values (above '1'). These changes in K and K n with the growth of the fish are clearly reflected in their seasonal cycles also.K cycle would thus appear to follow a pattern of build up and loss of body resources, indirectly following the breeding cycle while the K n cycle follow the breeding and feeding cycles directly, as shown by their seasonal changes and changes with growth of the fish for 2 yrs. Since only minor deviations from unity occur in K n factor it furnishes a more sensitive index of somatic difference between age groups, of breeding season and feeding cycle

Effect of salinity on the survival and growth ofChanda (=Ambassis) gymnocephalus (Lac.) fry (Pisces; Centropomidae)

The survival and growth of Chanda (= Ambassis) gymnocephalus (Lac.) fry (8.8 ± 0.2mm) collected from Murukumpuzha Lake (9.34%) for a ninety day period in different salinity grades were studied. A faster rate of growth is exhibited by the fish in the highest salinity grades (22.41 and 28.51%), even though during the first month, growth and health was apparently better in the lower salinity grades (4.11, 10.21 and 16.31%). Assimilation efficiency also showed a similar gross picture. Thus inC. gymnocephalus, an euryhaline species, the fry show preferred salinity gradients for optimum growth within the fluctuating salinity regime at a stable temperature (26 ± 2°C) and hence may make salinity bound emigrations with growth

Biology of fouling in Neendakara port, a tropical estuary in the south west coast of India

Species composition and some aspects of the biology of the fouling community in Neendakara port (southwest coast of India) has been examined for a period of one year. Fouling organisms were collected with a system of glass panels exposed for varying durations and during different months in the port. One species of sponge, nine species of coelenterates, thirteen species of polyzoans, four species of mud-tube dwelling polychaetes, four species of serpulids, one species each of mud-tube forming amphipod and tanaid, two species of oysters, six species of mussels and not less than eight species of tunicates were the macro fouler which settled over the panels. Monthly and seasonal settlement of the different species has been recorded. Fouling has been a continuous process occurring throughout the year in Neendakara port with slightly fluctuating biomass and considerably varying species composition. Alternate species dominance of marine and brackish water forms has been an important feature of fouling in the area. Number of species of the sedentary fouling animals represented on test panels has been high during the highly saline pre-monsoon period and low during the monsoon period

Observations on the biochemical changes in gonads and other organs of Uca annulipes, Portunus pelagicus and Metapenaeus affinis (Decapoda: Crustacea) during the reproductive cycle

The fluctuations in biochemical constituents such as water, nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen, protein, lipid and glycogen in gonad, muscle and hepatopancreas have been followed in 3 decapod crustaceans, Uca annulipes (Latreille), Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus) and Metapenaeus affinis (Milne-Edwards). The water and ash content of the entire body show no systematic fluctuation in relation to the annual reproductive cycle. The water content of the ovary diminishes as it matures. In the ovary of these crustaceans, the lipid fluctuated greatly in relation to the reproductive cycle. The maturing ovary contains more lipid than an immature or spent ovary per unit tissue weight. The changes in the biochemical constituents in the testis are not so pronounced as in the ovary, since the testicular cycle is often drawn-out and almost continuous in these crustaceans. There is an inverse relationship between water content and lipid content of the hepatopancreas; the greater the fat content, the lesser the water content. The hepatopancreas in these crustaceans is apparently a storage organ and contains much lipid and glycogen. At the height of the breeding season, when gonad production is intense, there is an indication of the mobilisation of at least a part of the lipid from hepatopancreas to gonad

Exploitation of the brown mussel Perna indica (Kuriakose and Nair) from selected centres along The west coast of Tamil Nadu

The brown mussel, Pema vndica. Is found abundantly on intertldal and subtidal rocks along This study was undertaken to determine the current level of exploitation from selected centres along the west coast of Tamil Nadu, since estimates of catch and effort form part of the basic information required for fishery management

Agrarian distress and rural livelihoods : a study in Upputhara Panchayat, Idukki District, Kerala

This study examines the impact of agrarian distress on the different socio-economic groups, the strategies of livelihood adopted by households and the local institution in shaping these strategies. The study is based on the data collected from in-depth socio-economic enquiries conducted in Upputhara Panchayat in Idukki District. An important conclusion of the study is that the strategies of livelihood framed in response to a shock could vary across households depending on the extent of their asset ownership. Households in Upputhara achieved diversification of livelihoods in three major ways: through diversifying their cropping pattern, through diversifying their local occupations and through migration. The study showed that (a) in formulating coping strategies, households benefited from increased access to a number of public institution created through public action in earlier years; (b) access of households to the different welfare institutions was declining in recent years; and (c) the livelihood systems of people remained extremely vulnerable. Obviously, strengthening the livelihood systems of households would require sustaining their livelihood assets and income by reversing these state policies and making effective of the functioning of the local institutions like the Panchayat. Key words: Agrarian Distress, Livelihood Risks, Coping Strategies , Kerala JEL Classification: Q, Q 0

Distress debt and suicides among agrarian households : findings from three village studies in Kerala

This paper examines the factors and process underlying agrarian distress in Kerala by undertaking the case studies of three villages situated in Wayanad and Idukki districts namely, Cherumad, Kappikkunnu and Upputhara. The impact of distress on household livelihoods and indebtedness and how they cope up with the situation are examined with entire village and intra village analysis of data. The process of agrarian distress which resulted in suicides were analysed through a few in-depth studies. Decline in crops yield, coupled with sharp fall in their prices, created severe distress in all sections of agricultural population. Many household cope with these distresses by reducing household expenditure, diversifying their household incomes and searching for jobs in other places. Meanwhile, government interventions in terms of PDS, health care provision, education and supply of drinking water gave some relief to the affected persons. However, these measures could not completely prevent the occurrence of suicides among the members of agrarian households. The paper shows that the villages in which household income are more diversified and social networks much stronger, the distress conditions did not result in suicides. Mitigation of agrarian distress requires not only for debt relief but also implementation of long term strategies containing policies to promote price stability, ecological sustainability of agriculture, strengthening of formal rural credit and support networks, and income and employment generation programmes. Key words: Distress debt, Suicides, Agrarian Households, Livelihood risk, Coping Strategies, Livelihood, Livelihood Assets, Institutions, Kerala JEL Classification: Q, Q0

Lease farming in Kerala : findings from micro level studies

Land Reforms Act in Kerala rendered tenancy invalid and prohibited the creation of future tenancies in the State, but tenancy very much exists. It is a consequence of the simultaneous increase in two categories of people, “those who have land but unable to cultivate’ and ‘those who have the labour and skills, but no lands or not enough lands of their own to cultivate’. Macro state-level data on tenancy from sources such as the NSS appear to be gross under-estimations, going by the data provided by micro-level studies in the state. This paper examines some micro-level studies on tenancy in Kerala, more specifically, its prevalence across locations and crops, characteristics of lessors and lessees, the terms of lease, and the income derived from lease cultivation and in the light of the analysis, argues for institutionalised arrangements for the expansion of lease cultivation, rather than sterner measures to check it. Among other factors, large-scale entry of self-help groups into the lease market to take up lease cultivation, often bringing hitherto fallowed lands into production, has prompted such a positioning. Key Words: Lease farming, Commercial Cultivation, Sustainable Agriculture JEL Classification: Q10, Q1

Dichotomous venation and anastomosis in the corolla of an orchid-Habenaria dentata (SW.) Schltr

The lip of the corolla in habenaria dentata (Sw.) Schltr. is tripartite. The lateral lobes show dichotomously branched veins. While the majority of the vein-endings are related to crenulation in the corolla and terminate at the tip, others end blindly. Usually each crenulation receives one vein. In exceptional cases two veins enter a crenulation. Cases of veins ending beneath an incision (sinus) separating two crenulations have been observed. Sinus vein dichotomies are present. Nine types of anastomoses are described. In Type I, two branches of a single vein-dichotomy remain united. Type II is characterized by the union of adjacent branches of two vein dichotomies and their separation. Type III is similar to Type II but the branches do not separate after confluence. In Type IV an arcuate vein unites with the branch of contiguous vein dichotomy and then separates. Type V is similar to Type IV but the fused branches do not separate. Type VI is formed by the union of the outer branch of a second order vein-dichotomy and the outer branch of a first order vein-dichotomy. In Type VII one outer branch each of two adjacent second order vein-dichotomies unite and separate. Type VIII is similar to Type VII but the branches do not separate after confluence. In Type IX the outer branch of a third order vein-dichotomy and the outer branch of a second order vein-dichotomy unite and separate after a short area of confluence. Cases of vein-approximations also have been observed