UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Comparative Assessment of Zooplankton in Active and Non-active Fishing Zones of Kollam, Kerala, India

2026-06-20T11:01:32+00:00

This study assessed zooplankton abundance, phytoplankton density, and selected water quality parameters in active fishing and non-fishing zones off Kollam, Kerala, India. Monthly sampling was conducted from November 2019 to February 2020 in near-shore, coastal, and open-water areas. Active fishing zones were identified using the Indigenous Traditional Knowledge of local fishermen and acoustic observations from a GPS-coupled fish finder, whereas non-fishing zones were selected from adjacent waters without active fishing operations or visible fish shoals during sampling. Surface seawater samples were analysed for temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and silicate, and these variables were examined in relation to phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance. The observed values included temperature ranging from 25.70 to 30.50 °C, salinity from 29.67 to 34.51 ppt, dissolved oxygen from 4.28 to 6.96 mg/l, and silicate from 3.25 to 5.98 mg/l. Zooplankton abundance ranged from 422 to 503 ind. m⁻³, with the maximum value recorded in FZ-1 during November. A total of 53 zooplankton taxa were identified, with copepods forming the dominant group (35 species), followed by decapod larvae, amphipods, isopods, ostracods, chaetognaths, molluscan larvae, tintinnids, appendicularians, fish eggs, and fish larvae. Phytoplankton abundance ranged from 6815 to 10340 cells L⁻¹, with the highest value recorded in FZ-1 during December and the lowest in NFZ-2 during February. Correlation analysis indicated that phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance varied with hydrographic and nutrient conditions, although the strength and direction of associations differed between fishing and non-fishing zones. The findings provide baseline information on plankton dynamics in contrasting fishing habitats off Kollam and may support future monitoring of coastal productivity and ecosystem-based fisheries assessment.

Study on Biochemical Composition of Muscle Tissue of Freshwater Fish Channa striata (Bloch) of River Kharun, Chhattisgarh, India

2026-06-23T09:06:16+00:00

The present study evaluated the biochemical composition of muscle tissue of the freshwater fish Channa striata collected from the River Kharun near Kumhari, Chhattisgarh, India. Fish samples were obtained from three sampling sites representing upstream, midstream and downstream stretches of the river during summer, rainy and winter seasons. Muscle tissue was analysed for moisture, protein, lipid, carbohydrate and ash contents using standard biochemical procedures. The results showed moderate seasonal and spatial numerical variation in the proximate composition of C. striata. Moisture content ranged from 74.90 ± 0.59% to 80.55 ± 0.72%, with the highest value recorded at the downstream site during the rainy season. Protein content varied from 15.96 ± 0.33% to 19.26 ± 0.52%, with the highest value observed at the upstream site during winter. Lipid content ranged from 1.63 ± 0.06% to 2.58 ± 0.12% and also showed comparatively higher values during winter. Carbohydrate content ranged from 0.86 ± 0.03% to 1.32 ± 0.06%, whereas ash content ranged from 1.25 ± 0.02% to 1.53 ± 0.04%. Although numerical differences were recorded among seasons and sites, one-way analysis of variance indicated that the differences were not statistically significant at p > 0.05. These findings suggest that the proximate biochemical composition of C. striata muscle remained relatively stable across the examined seasons and sampling sites. The study provides baseline information on the biochemical profile of C. striata from the River Kharun and supports its nutritional relevance as a freshwater fish resource in Chhattisgarh. The findings should be interpreted in view of the limited biological and environmental data available for the study period.

Ecological Engineering for the Management of Fruit Borers in Okra Ecosystem by Encouraging Natural Enemies

2026-06-23T11:11:53+00:00

An experiment was conducted under field conditions at the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot, to evaluate ecological engineering approaches for managing fruit borers in okra and their influence on natural enemies. Four treatments were assessed: T₁, okra as the main crop without ecological engineering; T₂, okra with two rows of 25-day-old maize seedlings as a barrier crop and one row of 25-day-old marigold seedlings as a trap crop; T₃, okra with two rows of cowpea as a border crop and coriander intercropped with okra in a 5:1 ratio; and T₄, okra with maize, marigold, cowpea and coriander in the same arrangement. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design with five replications. Observations were recorded on shoot damage, fruit damage, coccinellids and spiders. T₄ recorded the lowest mean shoot damage by Earias vittella (5.11%), the lowest mean fruit damage by E. vittella (7.40%) and reduced fruit damage by Helicoverpa armigera (17.68%). The same treatment supported the highest mean populations of coccinellids (1.95 per plant) and spiders (0.61 per plant). These findings indicate that the combined use of barrier, trap, border and intercrops can reduce fruit borer damage and support natural enemy activity in okra. The T₄ treatment may be considered a useful component of integrated pest management, subject to validation across seasons and locations.

Effect of FSH Stimulation on Follicular Development and Oocyte Recovery Rate Following Ovum Pick-up in Sahiwal Cows

2026-06-23T11:19:31+00:00

The present study evaluated the effect of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) pre-stimulation on follicular development, oocyte yield and cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) quality in Sahiwal donor cows. Twelve Sahiwal cows aged 3-6 years, maintained at the Livestock Farm Complex under the Embryo Transfer and In Vitro Fertilization Project (RKVY), Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, ANDUAT, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, were randomly divided into two groups. Group I cows (non-stimulated, n=6) received 2.5 mL (10 µg) GnRH on day 0, and ovum pick-up (OPU) was performed 5 days after GnRH administration. Group II cows (FSH-stimulated, n=6) received FSH pre-stimulation with Stimufol, 200 mg intramuscularly in three tapering doses (100, 60 and 40 mg), and OPU was conducted 48 h after the final FSH injection. The FSH-stimulated group had a significantly higher mean number of follicles available for aspiration (40.17 ± 1.81) than the non-stimulated group (27.67 ± 2.33). The mean number of COCs recovered was also higher in the FSH-stimulated group (36.50 ± 2.07) than in the non-stimulated group (23.17 ± 2.10), with recovery rates of 90.87% and 83.73%, respectively. FSH pre-stimulation increased the number of medium and large follicles and improved the recovery of Grade A COCs. These findings indicate that tapering-dose FSH pre-stimulation before OPU enhanced follicular availability, oocyte recovery and COC quality in Sahiwal cows under the conditions of this study.

Seasonal Variation in the Proximate Composition of Mugil cephalus from the Godavari Estuary, Andhra Pradesh, India

2026-06-23T11:28:55+00:00

The present study examined seasonal variation in the proximate composition of flathead grey mullet, Mugil cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), collected from the Balusutippa landing centre in the Godavari estuary, Andhra Pradesh, India, during 2021–2023. Monthly samples were analysed to determine moisture, protein, lipid, carbohydrate and ash contents using standard laboratory procedures, and Pearson's correlation analysis was applied separately for each year to assess relationships among biochemical constituents. Moisture was the predominant component of the edible muscle and remained comparatively high across the study period, ranging from 75.33% to 81.56%. Protein content varied from 11.45% to 19.54%, while lipid content ranged from 2.13% to 8.34%. Carbohydrate and ash contents were lower and less variable, ranging from 0.21% to 0.93% and 1.05% to 1.56%, respectively. Monthly patterns showed that moisture, protein and lipid contents fluctuated more visibly than carbohydrate and ash contents. Correlation analysis indicated consistent inverse relationships between moisture and protein contents (r = −0.675 to −0.808) and variable negative relationships between moisture and lipid contents (r = −0.061 to −0.541). Lipids were positively associated with carbohydrates in all study years (r = 0.087 to 0.509), and a comparatively stronger positive association was recorded between lipids and ash in 2023 (r = 0.541). These findings indicate that the proximate composition of Mugil cephalus from the Godavari estuary varied seasonally during the study period, particularly in relation to moisture, protein and lipid contents. The results provide baseline information for nutritional assessment and may support the informed utilisation of this estuarine fish resource.

Varietal Screening of Rose Cultivars against Sucking Pests under Field Conditions in the Kashmir Valley

2026-06-23T09:11:00+00:00

An investigation was conducted during 2021-22 at Shalimar Garden, Kashmir, under natural field conditions to assess the relative susceptibility of twelve rose cultivars to thrips, aphids and mites. The cultivars evaluated were Arthur Bell, Bijazzo, Superstar, Okaholoma, Golden Gate, Kiss of Fire, American Heritage, Virgo, Naomi, Message, Noblesse and Naranga. The crop was maintained without insecticidal or acaricidal treatments so that natural pest infestations could develop, while other agronomic and cultural practices were applied uniformly. Observations were recorded at fortnightly intervals during the peak growth and flowering period from May to July. Thrips were counted per flower, aphids per shoot and mites per leaf, and mean pest populations were used to assign resistance ratings according to the prescribed infestation index. The cultivars differed in their response to the three sucking-pest groups. Mean thrips population ranged from 4.34 to 8.92 individuals per flower per plant; Virgo showed a moderately resistant reaction with a thrips index of 0.57, whereas Arthur Bell, Golden Gate, Kiss of Fire, American Heritage and Message were low resistant. For aphids, mean population ranged from 5.02 to 7.35 aphids per plant, with Superstar showing the most favourable response as highly resistant with an index of 0.14. Bijazzo, American Heritage and Virgo were moderately resistant to aphids. For mites, mean population ranged from 7.08 to 9.86 mites per leaf per plant. No cultivar was resistant or moderately resistant to mites, although Bijazzo, Golden Gate, American Heritage and Virgo showed comparatively lower mite indices and were classed as low resistant. The results indicate that cultivar response should be considered when developing integrated pest management strategies for rose cultivation under Kashmir valley conditions.

Zoogeographical Distribution and Taxonomic Diversity of Fauna in the Indo-Gangetic Plain: A Review

2026-06-22T10:04:47+00:00

The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) represents one of the most extensive and ecologically significant alluvial landscapes of South Asia, supporting diverse fauna across riverine ecosystems, wetlands, floodplains, grasslands, forests and agricultural habitats. This review examines the zoogeographical distribution and taxonomic diversity of fauna within the Indo-Gangetic Plain, with an emphasis on vertebrate and invertebrate assemblages, ecological determinants, habitat heterogeneity and conservation concerns. The region supports mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, insects, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates. Major vertebrate fauna include the Gangetic dolphin (Platanista gangetica), gharial (Gavialis gangeticus), swamp deer (Rucervus duvaucelii), migratory waterfowl and economically important freshwater fishes such as rohu and catla. Invertebrate diversity includes pollinating insects, aquatic macroinvertebrates, arachnids, molluscs and crustaceans that contribute to ecosystem functioning and nutrient cycling. The review also examines the influence of climatic conditions, hydrological connectivity, vegetation structure, floodplain dynamics and soil characteristics on faunal distribution patterns. River systems such as the Ganga, Yamuna, Gandak, Ghaghara and Kosi function as ecological corridors that facilitate species dispersal and migration. Habitat heterogeneity across the upper, middle and lower Gangetic plains supports varied trophic interactions and ecological adaptations. Anthropogenic pressures, including urbanisation, agricultural intensification, industrial pollution, habitat fragmentation, wetland degradation, invasive species and climate change, have affected biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Integrated conservation strategies supported by GIS, remote sensing and molecular tools are essential for protecting faunal diversity and maintaining ecological resilience within the Indo-Gangetic Plain.