云南晚第三纪化石木研究及其古气候意义

本论文研究了我国云南龙陵大坝和镇安、昌宁红星晚上新世以及楚雄洲吕合晚中新世191个化石木标本，鉴定出7种化石木类型，其中越桔型木属为新属，越桔型木、常绿杜鹃型木和龙陵杜鹃型木为新种。并利用化石木的现存种或现存亲缘种的生态环境对化石产地的气候和环境进行了讨论。 木材种类的特征如下： 华山松（Pinus armandii Franchet）：生长轮明显，早材至晚材渐变。交叉场纹孔主为窗格型。木射线具单列射线和纺锤状射线。射线管胞内壁平滑或微锯齿状。具正常轴向和径向树脂道，由薄壁泌脂细胞组成。 云南铁杉（Tsuga dumosa Eicher）：生长轮明显，早材至晚材略急变至渐变。管胞径壁具缘纹孔单列;具缘纹孔膜上明显具棒状延伸;纹孔膜下具缘纹孔外表面具明显的瘤状层，瘤状突起大小相近。交叉场纹孔式柏木型。木射线主为单列;由射线薄壁细胞和射线管胞组成;射线细胞水平壁厚，纹孔明显，数多;端壁节状加厚明显。轴向木薄壁组织细胞数少，轮界状;其端壁节状加厚明显。 柳杉型木（Taxodioxylon cryptomeripsoides Schonfeld）：生长轮明显，早材至晚材略急变。管胞径壁纹孔1列，偶尔成疏松排列的2列;晚材弦壁纹孔明显可见。交叉场具1-4枚杉木型纹孔。轴向木薄壁组织细胞数多，星散状或有时成短弦线状;端壁节状不明显或略现。木射线单列，全由射线薄壁细胞组成;射线细胞水平壁薄，纹孔缺乏，端壁平滑。 杉木型木（Taxodioxylon cunninghamioides Watari）：生长轮明显，早材至晚材渐变。管胞径壁纹孔1-2列;晚材弦壁纹孔明显可见。交叉场1-4枚杉木型纹孔。轴向木薄壁组织丰富，星散状或有时成短弦线状;端壁节状不明显或略现。木射线单列全由射线薄壁细胞组成;射线细胞水平壁薄;端壁薄，平滑。 龙陵杜鹃型木（新种）（Ericaceoxylon longlingense sp. nov.）：生长轮明显，散孔材。导管横切面为多角形，单管孔，散生。螺纹加厚仅出现导管分子尾端。梯状穿孔为主。管间纹孔式为对列或梯状对列。轴向薄壁组织量少，疏环管状。纤维分子细胞壁厚度中等。射线宽1-6细胞。多列射线的中部多为横卧细胞，边缘有1-4（6）行直立和/或方形细胞。射线导管间纹孔式梯状对列，类似导管间纹孔式。 常绿杜鹃型木（新种）（Ericaceoxylon hymenanthesoides sp. nov.）：生长轮明显，半环孔材。导管横切面为多角形，单管孔，散生。螺纹加厚出现整个导管分子壁上。复穿孔，梯状穿孔为主。管间纹孔式为互列。轴向薄壁组织量少，疏环管状;端壁节状加厚不明显。纤维分子细胞壁厚度中等;径壁和弦壁均具有具缘纹孔。射线宽1-4细胞;多列射线的中部多为横卧细胞，边缘有1-9行直立和/或方形细胞。射线导管间纹孔式互列，类似导管间纹孔式。 常绿杜鹃型木（相似种）（Ericaceoxylon cf. hymenanthesoides）：生长轮明显，半环孔材。单管孔;导管散生。梯状穿孔板;管间纹孔式为互列;射线导管间纹孔式多对列，类似导管间纹孔式。螺纹加厚出现在导管分子壁上。木纤维细胞壁中等厚度。射线宽1-3细胞。 越桔型木（新种）（Vacciniaceoxylon vacciniumoides sp. nov.）：生长轮略明显，散孔材。单管孔，散生;整个导管分子上具螺纹加厚。网状和梯状穿孔。轴向薄壁组织量少，星散状或疏环管状。纤维分子径壁和弦壁都具有具缘纹孔。射线多列和单列射线组成，两种大小，1-4细胞宽。射线导管间纹孔式互列，纹孔有明显的纹孔缘。 化石木植物群及其所反映的古植被和古气候如下： 楚雄吕合化石木植物群4个标本中鉴定出两种木材类型—柳杉型木和杉木型木。由于化石标本少，不足以反映植被面貌，两种杉科植物的出现反映其生长地为亚热带温暖湿润环境。 龙陵大坝和镇安化石木植物群95个标本中鉴定出四种木材类型：华山松、常绿杜鹃型木、越桔型木和龙陵杜鹃型木。他们反映的古植被为针阔混交林，生长于亚热带温凉湿润的山地气候环境中，当时当地的海拔高度在1800-3000米之间。 昌宁红星化石木植物群92个标本中鉴定出三种木材类型：华山松、云南铁杉、常绿杜鹃型木（相似种）。他们反映的古植被为针阔混交林，生长于亚热带温凉湿润的山地气候环境中，当时当地的海拔在2200-3000米之间。

云南中新世和山西上新世果实和种子的研究

研究化石果实和种子的古果实学在欧洲和北美开展较早，近年来发展迅速，我国在这个领域的研究相对薄弱，迄今为止尚没有专项的研究工作。本论文首次对我国云南和山西晚第三纪的果实和种子进行专门研究，并根据它们对应的现存最近亲缘植物的分布及生态特征分析和重建了当时当地的吉植被、古环境和古气候。 1．云南省西部陇川盆地芒旦地区早一中中新世被子植物果实和种子植物群，包括果实和种子29种，详细研究了14种，隶属于ll科12属：壳斗科的石栎属、金缕梅科的蜡瓣花属、金丝桃科的金丝桃属、樟科的木姜子属、木兰科的木兰属和鹅掌楸属、桑科的榕属、杨梅科的杨梅属、蓝果树科的蓝果树属、芸香科的花椒属、清风藤科的清风藤属以及山矾科的山矾属。所有这些果实和种子的化石在中国均为首次报道，其中蜡瓣花属、鹅掌楸属、蓝果树属、清风藤属和山矾属还是该属在中国的首次大化石记录。在植物群组成中，石栎属占绝对优势，其他主要类群有蜡瓣花属、木姜子属、木兰属、花椒属和山矾属等。芒旦果实和种子植物群反映当时当地为亚热带常绿阔叶林的森林面貌和温暖湿润的亚热带气候条件。 2．山西省榆社盆地张村地区晚上新世( 2.3 Ma-3.5 Ma)水生植物川蔓藻属(Ruppia)果实和种子的大量发现及其与川蔓藻属2个化石种和5个现代种的比较表明，这些果实和种子属于一个新种—榆社川蔓藻Ruppia yushensis sp. nov。该新种的主要特征为内果皮卵形、表面光滑、侧面具两个显著的窄椭圆形凹陷、顶端具一个明显的小尖突，以及种子顶端具显著的球形膨大的种脐。榆社川蔓藻将川蔓藻属的第三纪地理分布范围从欧洲延伸到了东亚，并且填补了它在上新世地层的空缺。榆社川蔓藻作为榆社盆地晚新生代水生植物的发现，指示了当时当地的咸水环境。根据川蔓藻属植物的现代生态资料并结合其它矿物学和生物学指标，可以推测晚上新世张村地区为一个浅而平静的微咸水湖。榆社川蔓藻果实和种子的大量出现说明该植物可能在该水域形成了单一的优势类群，其光滑的内果皮表面指示当时当地为暖温带或温带气候。

四种国产野生无髯鸢尾种子休眠与萌发的研究

玉蝉花（Iris ensata）、山鸢尾（Iris setosa）、金脉鸢尾（Iris chrysographes）和西南鸢尾（Iris bulleyana）这四种国产野生无髯鸢尾的种子均存在休眠现象，然而萌发情况各异。通过大田实验、层积处理、离体胚培养、切割胚乳、剥离种皮、切割胚乳不同部位、对种子的珠孔端胚乳进行扫描电子显微镜观察和用Instron 5848微力材料实验机测量刺穿珠孔端结构所需要力，以及把离体胚放在PEG-6000的渗透液中来测试四种鸢尾种子胚的生长势等实验，发现：玉蝉花、山鸢尾、金脉鸢尾和西南鸢尾这四种鸢尾种子存在不同程度的休眠;胚不含萌发抑制剂，已经完成了生理成熟，不是这几种鸢尾休眠的障碍;鸢尾的种皮透水性良好，虽然种皮对萌发有一定的机械抑制作用，然而相对于珠孔端胚乳而言，对胚根伸长的阻力不大，因此不是种子休眠的主要因素。根据实验结果推测，鸢尾种子的胚乳含有萌发抑制剂，然而，珠孔端胚乳的机械束缚可能是鸢尾种子萌发延迟的主要原因。通过进一步的实验发现，玉蝉花和山鸢尾这两种鸢尾胚的生长势高于后两种鸢尾种子，然而，它们的珠孔端结构（胚乳和种皮）对胚伸长的束缚还不及后两者的一半，也就是说，鸢尾种子萌发与否主要取决于珠孔端胚乳对胚根伸长的机械束缚与胚根的生长势的力量的对比，当前者大于后者时，种子不能萌发，当珠孔端胚乳细胞的细胞壁解体或者这一部分被切割之后，珠孔端机械束缚等于或者小于胚的生长势时，种子萌发。

分子运动性预测顽拗性种子麻栎离体胚轴适宜贮藏条件初探

顽拗性种子在分类上分布广泛。由于顽拗性种子贮藏特性极为特殊，对脱水和低温均十分敏感，易受损伤，所以种子寿命很短，因此在植物种质资源保存领域，顽拗性种子的保存一直被列为重点研究课题，至今仍难以找到顽拗性种子的适宜贮藏条件，或该类种子保存通行的方法，仅推测长期保存顽拗性种子种质资源最有前途的方式是超低温保存，顽拗性种子资源保存是一个世界性难题。 本文试图使用分子运动性预测顽拗性种子离体胚轴的适宜贮藏条件。选用壳斗科植物麻栎种子为实验材料。应用电子顺磁共振波谱仪和自旋标记技术，以硝基氧探针CP为标记物，检测到室温下麻栎种子离体胚轴脱水过程中分子运动性的变化。含水量0.7 g H2O/g DW至0.64 g H2O/g DW范围是细胞质粘度的转折区域，低于这个含水量区域，细胞质粘度骤然上升，推测这个区域是室温下保存离体胚轴的适宜含水量下限。 通过变温电子顺磁测定，找到离体胚轴含水量在0.43 g H2O/g DW至1.02 g H2O/g DW范围内，分子运动性的临界温度和玻璃态相变温度所在区间。根据分子运动性随温度变化规律，预测含水量为0.69 g H2O/g DW的麻栎种子离体胚轴适宜贮藏温度约为-50 ℃。 根据EPR实验结果，将胚轴脱水，并根据实验条件选择不同温度进行低温贮藏验证实验，应用颜色观测法和TTC存活力鉴定法，初步验证分子运动性理论可以应用在顽拗性种子离体胚轴的低温贮藏研究中。 本研究说明顽拗性种子资源的保存有可能通过离体胚轴的低温贮藏实现，用分子运动性预测低温贮藏的适宜条件，很可能为上述问题的解决提供了有效的技术参数。

利用DSC和EPR技术研究杜仲种子的贮藏条件

种子贮藏稳定性对于种质资源的长期保存具有重要意义，目前关于种子贮藏的最新理论为玻璃态理论，该理论认为种子的玻璃化有利于种子的长期贮藏。当种子处于玻璃态时，玻璃化物质的高度粘滞性降低了种子细胞内分子流动性，阻止了细胞质中分子的扩散，从而减少老化过程中细胞结构的损伤和化学组分的变化，延缓种子老化劣变反应速率，延长贮藏寿命。评价玻璃态的一个重要指标是玻璃化转变温度，当种子贮藏于玻璃化温度或以下10℃～30℃范围内时，种子具有最佳的贮藏稳定性。因此，检测种子的玻璃化转变温度对于种子的长期有效贮藏具有重要指导意义。 本研究将差示量热扫描技术（DSC）与电子顺磁共振波谱仪技术（EPR）应用于杜仲种子玻璃化转变温度方面的研究。在DSC方法中，选用4.4%～31.6%含水量范围的杜仲种胚分别进行了DSC图谱扫描。EPR方法选用3-羧基-2,2,5,5-四甲基吡咯烷-1-氧（3-carboxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-1-oxyl，CP）和2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶（4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy，TEMPO）作为探针标记杜仲种胚， 利用EPR技术测定不同含水量杜仲种胚的分子运动，通过对EPR图谱参数的分析计算，最终确定不同含水量杜仲种胚的玻璃化转变温度。 DSC实验结果显示，含水量为22.3%、28.0%、31.6%的杜仲种胚在0℃ 左右出现了一个水的熔融峰。该熔融峰的面积代表了自由水含量的多少，随着种胚含水量的降低该熔融峰面积减小。4.4%～31.6%含水量范围的杜仲种胚在-28℃左右还出现了一个熔融峰，推测此峰为杜仲种胚中某类物质熔融所形成的熔融峰。然而在此曲线上我们未观察到标志玻璃化转变的“台阶”出现。 CP-EPR实验的结果表明，利用EPR测定得到含水量为4.4%～11.6%的杜仲种胚在-110℃～20℃温度范围内，同一含水量的杜仲种胚随着温度的升高，分子运动速率加快;在同一温度条件下，高含水量的种胚比低含水量种胚的分子运动速率快。通过CP-EPR波谱两外缘峰最大距离（2Azz）的测定和数据统计分析，得到含水量为4.4%、5.7%、8.6%、10.3%、11.6%杜仲种胚的玻璃化转变温度分别约为44℃、25℃、4℃、-31℃、-43℃。可以把测定的杜仲种胚的这几个含水量的玻璃化转变温度与杜仲种子贮藏相结合，用于指导杜仲种子的贮藏。 TEMPO-EPR实验测定分析得到含水量为2.1%、3.4%、4.8%、8.3%、11.2% 的杜仲种胚的玻璃化转变温度分别为-21℃、-18℃、-24℃、-20℃、-27℃，玻璃化转变温度随含水量升高其变化的规律不明显，这与CP-EPR实验测得的结果有着较明显的差别。通过分析，认为对于脂质含量较高的杜仲种胚，随着含水量的降低，作为标记化合物的TEMPO随着脱水进入脂相，从而不能真实反映出不同含水量种胚的分子运动情况。与TEMPO标记相比，CP标记可能能够更真实地反映不同含水量杜仲种胚细胞质分子运动的情况，根据其分子运动情况得到的玻璃化转变温度更准确。

Reproductive engineering in crustacean aquaculture

Crustacean aquaculture industry in India suffers greatly from lack of technological developments. A major constraint in this enterprise is the limitation of seed stock availability. A critical appraisal is made of the techniques used in the manipulation of reproductive processes in order to augment year-round production of seeds. A new possibility of induced ovarian maturation in crustaceans is by administering steroid hormones of vertebrate source. Environmental factors are known to govern the gametogenic cycle of marine crustaceans. Cryopreservation of male gametes and artificial insemination by way of spermatophore transfer could solve some of the problems of mating under laboratory conditions.

Importance of live feed organisms in prawn hatcheries: a review

Live food organisms play a vital role in the artificial propagation of penaeid prawn seeds. The methods practiced for the culture of phyto and zooplankton for rearing prawn larvae through their various developmental stages are reviewed. Selection of a suitable species depends mainly on the culture characteristics, local environmental factors and the food requirements of the species of prawns cultured. Suitability of a few species isolated from Karwar waters is discussed.

Estimation of fishing mortality and migration coefficient of the fishery of juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii from Kalu River in Maharashtra

The freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii breeds in estuaries and the juveniles after completion of their larval stage start their upward migration towards rivers. It is at this stage fishing of juveniles takes place in river mouths. Kalu River near Titwala, in Maharashtra is estimated based on data presented by Indulkar and Shirgur (1995) for 1991 and 1992 fishing seasons. The fishing mortality was estimated to be 1.50 and 1.28 for a fishing season of 3 months in 1991 and 1992 respectively, while the migration coefficient was computed to be 3.53 during the fishing season. As the average exploitation rate during the study period was only 0.24, the juveniles are not heavily fished and there is a scope for almost doubling the present catch to about 4 million seeds per fishing season.

番茄种子萌发的高温耐性诱导及其生理效应

番茄（Lycopersicon esculentum Miller）原产于南美西部高原地带，适应原产地赤道附近高地干燥冷凉的气候特点，不耐高温多湿，种子萌发期间对高温非常敏感。本研究以佳粉17番茄种子为材料，试图寻找诱导番茄种子萌发期间高温耐性的方法，并通过研究高温耐性被诱导前后种子内部发生的生理生化变化，探索番茄种子萌发期间不耐高温以及高温耐性诱导的机理。试验结果显示： 25 ℃是种子萌发的最适温度，种子发芽率为97.5%。高温抑制种子的萌发，33 ℃和35 ℃条件下萌发率分别为58.5%和8.5%。 萌发适宜温度预吸胀、低温预吸胀、吸湿-回干预处理可提高番茄种子萌发期间的高温耐性，而水杨酸处理则没有明显效果。种子经25 ℃预吸胀30 h、0 ℃预吸胀10 h、吸湿-回干预处理后在33 ℃条件下的萌发率分别为81.5%、78.0%、90%，在35 ℃下的萌发率分别达到33.5%、42%、48.5%。经以上处理后，种子萌发速率提高，萌发高峰期提前，幼苗生长健壮，根干重增加，活力指数变大。 番茄种子萌发期间遭受高温危害时，电解质渗漏增加，相对电导率升高；脂膜过氧化作用加剧，其产物MDA的含量增加。经萌发适宜温度预吸胀、低温预吸胀、吸湿-回干等方法预处理后，高温伤害减轻，膜的完整性增强，电解质渗漏减缓，膜脂过氧化作用减弱，因而相对电导率降低，MDA含量减少。 高温抑制了抗氧化酶的活性，种子内部SOD、APX、CAT、GR等抗氧化酶活性降低。经萌发适宜温度预吸胀、低温预吸胀、吸湿-回干等方法预处理以后，抗氧化酶活性有不同程度的提高，清除细胞内超氧阴离子自由基的能力增强，因而使过氧化伤害减弱， 适宜温度预吸胀、低温预吸胀、吸湿-回干等预处理方法在保护生物膜的同时，增强抗氧化作用，抑制过氧化伤害，从而提高了番茄种子萌发的高温耐性，这是番茄种子高温耐性提高的生理机制之一。

大豆种子低温吸胀相关基因的分离与蛋白变化的研究

大豆 (Glycine max (L.) Meer.)是人们日常生活中不可缺少的食品，也是一种非常重要的油质、蛋白资源。目前根据大豆种子吸胀阶段对低温敏感性的不同，可将其划分成3种生态型：低温非敏感型、低温敏感型及中间型。对于低温非敏感型的种子来讲，4℃下吸胀24小时对其发芽率影响很小，而敏感型种子萌发率不超过5%。我国属于温带大陆性气候，大豆播种后由于温度波动而造成一部分种子不能萌发，最终导致减产甚至绝产的现象普遍存在。高产是育种工作的主要目标，提高逆境胁迫的适应能力是高产的前提和基础，所以从分子角度研究种子吸胀非常必要，一方面能够挖掘新的基因资源，另一方面为今后育种工作提供必要的理论依据。 本试验以此为立足点，低温吸胀非敏感型大豆品种 (Z22)为材料，利用cDNA-AFLP方法及蛋白质技术分离与低温吸胀相关的基因及蛋白，得到结果如下： 第一，本试验成功的分离出4个受低温诱导的基因，半定量RT-PCR方法进一步验证了这4个基因在种子吸胀24小时内受低温诱导。 第二，利用RACE方法成功的得到2个完整的全长基因，在NCBI数据库中查找后发现其中1个基因为新基因，命名为SCHI基因 (SCHI：Soybean chilling-induced gene)。SCHI全长为390bp，编码分子量大约为14.2KD的蛋白；另外一个基因是已知基因，其同源序列已经在其他的物种中得到分离。由于此基因与核糖体蛋白L34高度同源，所以把把这个基因命名为SOL34 (Soybean L34)。 第三，利用半定量RT-PCR方法对基因表达模型进行分析，结果表明：SCHI在种子低温吸胀18～24小时期间诱导表达量最高，而当种子低温吸胀24小时后转入常温下，其表达量在常温下18小时左右迅速下降；ABA (100μM)、PEG (30%，10000)及NaCl (250mM)能够诱导SCHI的表达，在诱导表达量上，ABA和PEG诱导效果最明显，而NaCl能够微弱的诱导此基因表达；对不同生态型的大豆品种而言，低温吸胀过程中，SCHI在非敏感型种子中的表达量高于敏感型种子，但非敏感型和中间型之间没有差别；另外，SCHI在大豆胚轴中是诱导型表达，在叶片和根尖中则是组成型表达。SOL34的表达在萌发前24小时内被低温诱导，但在不同生态型之间没有差别。SOL34在胚轴和根尖中受低温诱导，在叶片中是组成型表达。 第四，SCHI能够在原核生物中表达出相应蛋白，诱导表达蛋白的分子量在26-29KD，大约为理论值的2倍，说明在大肠杆菌中被表达的蛋白以2聚体形式存在。另外低温试验结果表明SCHI能够提高菌落忍耐短时间-20℃低温的能力。 第五，利用双元表达载体把SCHI转入拟南芥植株，经过低温、干旱和盐胁迫后，转基因植株的成活率均高于野生型植株。超表达SOL34的拟南芥植株降低了对低温的耐性；而抑制拟南芥中L34的表达反而提高了植株对低温的抗性。 第六，本试验利用蛋白质等有关试验检测了大豆种子低温吸胀时蛋白质发生的变化。从吸胀 (4℃和22℃下24h)后的大豆胚轴中成功鉴定出上调蛋白点25个，下调蛋白点15个。其中有参与能量代谢反应 (占10%，例如柠檬酸脱氢酶和苹果酸脱氢酶等)、细胞生长与分裂相关反应 (20%，例如LEA蛋白和种子成熟蛋白PM26)、胁迫反应 (10%，如乙醇脱氢酶)、种子宿命和贮藏蛋白 (20%，大豆球蛋白)等蛋白在此过程中发生了变化，暗示种子萌发前期低温吸胀过程中多种代谢发生变化。细胞生长变缓、能量代谢增强、胁迫代谢蛋白的高表达以及贮藏蛋白降解速度减慢等变化都有利于种子在吸胀过程中度过低温环境，为以后的生长作好准备。

Effect of size, morphology and crystallinity of seed crystal on the nucleation and growth of single grain Y-Ba-Cu-O

The effect of size, morphology and crystallinity of seed crystals on the nucleation and growth of large grain Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) bulk superconductors fabricated by top seeded melt growth (TSMG) has been investigated. Seeding bulk samples with small, square shaped seed crystals leads to point nucleation and growth of the superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-y (Y-123) phase that exhibits the usual square habitual growth symmetry. The use of triangular and circular shaped seed crystals, however, modifies significantly the growth habit geometry of the grain. The use of large area seeds both increases the rate of epitaxial nucleation of the Y-123 phase and produces relatively large crystals in the incongruent melt, which decreases significantly the processing times of large grain samples. The present study is relevant to decrease processing times of samples with both preferred or no growth sectors and for multiple seeding of large grain samples which contain clean grain boundaries. © 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Grain boundaries in multi-seeded melt-grown superconductors

Future applications of high temperature superconductors require bulk materials of a complex shape. The multi-seeded-melt-growth process (MSMG) represents a promising technique for obtaining qualitatively well oriented bulk materials with different kinds of shape. In the MSMG process, several seeds are placed on a precursor pellet, from which the growth of the bulk starts. A certain problem of the MSMG process is that grain boundaries become inevitable when the growth fronts of two neighboring seeds collide. These grain boundaries are responsible for a reduction of the critical currents and pose a problem for high current applications. By polishing the sample step by step, the influence of the grain boundaries was investigated by scanning Hall probe measurements and by the magnetoscan technique. Additionally, optical microscopy and electron microscopy were employed to investigate the details of the microstructure. © 2005 IEEE.

Development of artificial breeding techniques for long-whiskered catfish, Sperata aor and giant river catfish, Sperata seenghala of Bangladesh

Sperata aor and S. seenghala are the two important native catfishes of Bangladesh but commercial farming of these species is not possible due to lack of naturally collected or artificially produced seeds for stocking. Attempts were made to develop techniques for seed production by artificial breeding and nursery-rearing of fries of these catfishes. A total of 60 S. seenghala (750-1,500 g) and 10 S. aor (600-1,000 g) broods were collected from the Brahmaputra river-basin and floodplains in Mymensingh region four months prior to their breeding season. The collected brood fishes were reared in separate earthen ponds with supplementary feeds comprising of rice bran (40%), mustard oil cake (29%), fish meal (30%) and vitamin-premix (1 %). Three experiments were conducted to optimize the hormone dose. A total of nine S. seenghala females weighing from 750 to 1,500 g were given an initial and resolving dose of 12-20 and 16-24 mg PG/kg body weight, respectively. The males weighing from 650-950 g were administered a single dose of 18-26 mg PG/kg body weight at the time of the time of administering the resolving dose to the females. The females ovulated partially and the eggs were examined under a compound microscope, but most of them were found to be less ripe or damaged. Collection of milt by stripping the males was not successful. The testes were taken out and sperm were observed to be non-motile and less developed. In view of stimulating natural propagation of S. seenghala, artificial holes (nests) were constructed in the pond bottom. Each hole was 0.7 m in diameter and 0.3 m in depth. A total of 10 holes were made and then 10 pairs of S. seenghala breeders (800-1,200 g) were stocked in the pond. In mid February, 3,000 fry of S. seenghala with a mean length of 4.60 cm and weight of 0.36 g were collected by repeated netting followed by drying of the pond. The fry were then stocked in a nursery pond and fed with commercial feed (SABINCO starter-1). The average length and weight of the fingerlings were 9.01 cm and 3.95 g, respectively and the estimated survival was 60% after two months of rearing. S. aor did not respond to natural spawning. Further study is essential to develop techniques for their successful artificial and natural breeding.

Ecology of Shakla heel (Brahmanbaria), Bangladesh

The bed Shakla, comprising an average area of 75.0 ha is located in the northeastern region (Brahmanbaria district) of Bangladesh. The study was carried out to assess the ecological aspects of bed ecosystem. Surface run-off and increase inflow of rain water from the upper stretch during monsoon cause inundation and resumption of connection between beel and parent rivers. The range of dissolved oxygen (DO) content ( 4.5-8.9 mg/L) was found congenial for aquatic life. pH was in the alkaline range (7.3-8.5) and free C02 was reletavely high. Lower values of total hardness and total alkalinity indicated less nutrients in the beel water. A wide variation (1.4-27.2 x 103 ceHs/L) in the standing crop of total plankton was recorded during study period of which phytoplankton alone contributed about 90%. Phytoplankton diversity in the beel represented by three groups viz. Chlorophyceae, Myxophyceae and Bacillariophyceae in order of abundance. A total of 52 fish species belonging to 36 genera, 20 families and 1 species of prawn were identified so far from the beel. About l3 types of fishing method were found in operation. Seine nets (moshari berja, ghono berjal) and gill net (current jal) were identified as detrimental gear killing juveniles of different species during post spawning period. Kua fishing was also found harmful due to dewatering nature. A total of 11 species belonging to 11 genera and 10 families of aquatic weeds were identified from the beet The eggs of Macrobrachium Jamarrei were identified into the Najas najas vegetation during April-September.

Institutional support for freshwater aquaculture development: a study of Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh, India

The aquaculture sector has been playing an increasingly dominating role in Indian fisheries scenario since the last two and half decades. Introduction of induced breeding and composite fish culture (CFC) technologies has changed the freshwater aquaculture sector in India. Institutional support has been one of the most crucial aspects in all fisheries development programs, more so in the Indian context where most of fish farmers are socially and economically weak. The innovation of CFC technology in freshwater aquaculture sector in the early seventies generated the need for adequate and effective institutional support to farmers. Under the freshwater aquaculture development program, the Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDA) have been established at district level to provide technical and extension support to the farming community besides arranging ponds on lease and supply of seeds. In addition to above, FFDAs are also expected to arrange loans from banks and provide subsidies. Thus, FFDAs are meant to provide institutional support to fish farming community in the country. In view of the above, an effort was made to study the adequacy and effectiveness of institutional support provided by the FFDA, Mirzapur for the development of aquaculture in Mirzapur district of Uttar Pradesh {U.P.), India. Study reveals that leasing of ponds for fish farming has been favourable to economically weaker sections of societies while bank loan accessibility is more for those having relatively higher economic status. Though the FFDA, Mirzapur performed well in providing training to potential fish farmers and creating awareness about fish farming, its effectiveness could not be equally seen in seed supply.