Technical efficiency of carp production in Nepal: An application of stochastic frontier production function approach*

Abstract

Modern aquaculture is a relatively new activity among Nepalese farmers and a small contributor to the economy. Given the abundance of water resources and fish species, rising demand for fish, and its high profitability, aquaculture has potential for future expansion if it is given appropriate attention from the government. In Nepal, productivity in aquaculture is much lower compared to other countries in the region, which suggests that there is potential for increased fish production through technological progress and improvement in farm‐level technical efficiency. However, no formal analysis has yet been conducted to assess the productive performance of Nepalese aquaculture and its potential for future improvement. Against this background, this paper examines the technical efficiency and its determinants for a sample of fish pond farms from the Tarai region of the country using a stochastic production frontier involving a model for technical inefficiency effects. The estimated mean technical efficiency is 77%, with intensive farms being more efficient than extensive farms. The adoption of regular fish, water, and feed management activities has a strong positive effect on technical efficiency.     

鲢鳙占优势的千岛湖浮游动物群落结构特征及其与环境因子的相关性

为了解以鲢鳙占优势的千岛湖中浮游动物群落结构特征以及与水温、溶解氧等环境因子的关系,采用方差分析、典范对应分析等方法,对千岛湖河流区、过渡区、湖泊区3个地区的浮游动物种类、数量以及环境因子的月变化特征进行了调查。结果表明:2007—2008年,共鉴定出浮游动物115种,其中原生动物16种、轮虫51种、枝角类23种、桡足类25种。浮游动物密度在春季(2007年:840.9/L,2008年:850.5/L)形成高峰;生物量在春季(2007年:1.89mg/L,2008年:0.837 mg/L)和秋季(2007年:1.63 mg/L,2008年:0.802 mg/L)形成双高峰;现存量从河流区至湖泊区依次递减。河流区和过渡区的浮游动物密度均于4 m水层达最大值,湖泊区于8 m水层达到最大值。各位点4～12 m水层的大型浮游甲壳动物优势种透明溞、蚤状溞、球状许水蚤等和小型浮游甲壳动物优势种长额象鼻溞、颈沟基合溞、台湾温剑水蚤等的生物量较高。原生动物、桡足类生物量与溶解氧显著正相关;轮虫、枝角类生物量与总氮、硝态氮、浮游植物生物量极显著正相关。典范对应分析(CCA)表明,溶解氧、温度、总氮、总磷、硝态氮是影响浮游动物时空分布的主要因子。透明溞在2—6月份主要受到以浮游植物为食物的上行效应的影响较大,而其他月份主要受水温的影响较大。     

用IGF—ⅠmRNA表达量评价鲮饲料配方效果的研究

试验以秘鲁鱼粉为饲料蛋白源,研究4种蛋白水平（21．5％、32．2％、42．5％和51．6％）的饲料对鲮（Cirrhinus molitorella）生长、消化酶活性及类胰岛素生长因子（IGF—Ⅰ）mRNA表达水平的影响。经过8周的养殖试验,不同饲料蛋白水平下,蛋白酶活性与特定生长率（SGR）成极显著的正相关性（P〈0．01）;鲮肝组织中IGF—ⅠmRNA的表达量与特定生长率成极显著正相关性（P〈0．01）;鲮肝组织IGF—ⅠmRNA的表达量与蛋白酶活性也成极显著正相关性（P〈0．01）。结果表明,用鲮肝组织IGF—ⅠmRNA的表达量可以快速鉴定饲料的质量。     

牛磺酸对鲤鱼诱食活性的初步研究

用牛磺酸作为诱食剂,以0.2%、0.4%、0.6%、0.8%的剂量将牛磺酸添加到基础饵料中,以基础饵料为对照,以鲤鱼为对象进行诱食活性试验,用one-way ANOVA检验统计分析,结果表明:牛磺酸对鲤鱼有明显的诱食作用,其中0.4%组诱食效果最佳,极显著地高于对照组(P<0.01)。     

鲤鱼种间、种内杂交中杂种优势强度表现的某些规律的初步研究

从1986年至1990年于我所松浦试验场,用黑龙江野鲤、荷包红鲤、兴国红鲤、红镜鲤、散鳞镜鲤、德国镜鲤和柏氏鲤进行了种间、种内14个组合的杂交,系统观察了不同组合亲本和杂种F_1在鳞被、体色、体型、生长、成活率、抗寒力、抗病力和起捕率等8个性状的遗传传递规律及其杂种优势强度,结果是.(1)鲤鱼种内异源杂交几乎所有的杂交组合的杂种F_1都表现出生长优势和对环境抗性的增强,其大小随亲本的亲缘远近和鳞被、体色、体型等性状间的差异而不同。一般品系间杂交,杂种生长的优势率在10％左右;品种间杂交,单交种的生长优势率在15—30％,三杂交种的生长优势率在30％以上。在抗寒、抗病、成活率等抗性上,表现出受其中一个亲本的影响,且有明显的母本效应,并可遗传传递给杂种后代。鳞被、体色、体型的基因效应,对杂种的生长有明显的促进作用。(2)鲤鱼种间杂交几乎不表现杂种优势,其特点:是柏氏鲤和黑龙江野鲤两个野生种间杂交,成活率、抗寒力强烈的表现不亲和性;而柏氏鲤与家养种间的杂交,表现一定的亲和性。亲本和杂种F_1的鳞被、体色仍表现显隐性关系,而体型、抗寒、抗病、成活率、起捕率等受柏氏鲤种质的强烈影响。获得抗寒力的杂种,在第二代时抗寒力明显消失,说明基因转移和整合的不稳定性。用柏氏鲤与散鳞镜鲤杂交的杂种F_1与另一抗寒很强的杂种F_1(黑龙江野鲤♀×红镜鲤♂)的双杂交种F_1,抗寒明显增强。     

复合益生菌对草鱼养殖水体水质和菌群结构的影响

为研究草鱼养殖水体中添加复合益生菌水质调节剂对水体水质和菌群的调节作用,实验采用氮磷等指标监测水质,采用454焦磷酸盐测序方法分析菌群结构,结果显示,处理组的氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮和总氮浓度一直低于对照组,但差异不显著;处理组硝酸盐氮浓度低于对照组,且在18d下降了56.59％;处理组的总无机氮含量低于对照组,且在15d下降了28.75％.处理组正磷酸盐和总磷浓度略低于对照组,无显著差异.15 d水样的454焦磷酸盐测序结果与对照组相比,处理组菌群多样性更高,厚壁菌门和变形菌门分别减少了91.21％和21.75％,拟杆菌、放线菌和蓝细菌分别增加了288％、435％和848％.在变形菌门中,α-变形杆菌和β-变形杆菌分别比对照组提高了318％和18％,γ-变形杆菌比对照组降低了78.82％.研究表明,该复合益生菌具有一定水质调控功能,且能显著改变菌群结构.     

Summertime and early autumn activity of some enzymes in the carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism of the crucian carp

In June, July, and September the activities of five enzymes involved in the carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, namely phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), citrate synthase (CS), cytochrome oxidase (cyt ox) and 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HAD), were measured in the heart, liver, red muscle, white muscle, and gill lamellae of crucian carp (Carassius carassius). LDH activity was measured in both reducing (LDHr) and oxidizing (LDHo) directions.The PFK activity in red and white muscle increased significantly between July and September indicating a preparation to winter anoxia by an increased glycylytic capacity in these organs. The HAD activity of the liver had increased significantly (by more than 50%) by September, also a preparation to winter anoxia as HAD is used in the reversed -oxidation (chain elongation of fatty acids). The LDHr and cyt ox activities in the heart and white muscle were highest in July. This shows that both the anaerobic and aerobic capacities are elevated in mid-summer when water temperature is high and oxygen concentration of the water could fluctuate greatly. The LDHo and CS activities in gill lamellae were lowest in July. The results show that the metabolism of crucian carp is under seasonal influence and that a preparation to winter hypoxia/anoxia could be detected in September.     

Application of Azotobacter enhances pond productivity and fish biomass in still water ponds

Two strains (derepressed-nitrogen fixing, Mac-27 and phosphate solubilizing, PS-21) of Azotobacter chroococcum were inoculated in fish culture ponds, singly and in combination with inorganic fertilizers (urea, single superphosphate–SSP). Physico-chemical parameters of pond waters, plankton production and fish biomass were studied. Inoculation of A. chroococcum (Mac-27) enhanced nitrogenase activity and rate of nitrogen fixation. A slight reduction in nitrogen fixation and nitrogenase activity was noticed when urea at 96 kg ha–1 y–1 was mixed with the biofertilizer (Mac-27). Inoculation of PS-21 enhanced phosphate solubilization, but Kjeldahl-nitrogen concentration values remained low in comparison with controls. On the other hand, inoculation of Azotobacter (either strain) enhanced the accumulation of ammonium-N, nitrite-N and nitrate-N. A significant (p < 0.05) reduction in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration also took place when Azotobacter (both Mac-27 and PS-21) was inoculated in fish ponds. However, when used along with inorganic fertilizers, the reduction was not significant. The pH values were only slightly lowered when the phosphate-solubilizing strain (PS-21) of Azotobacter was inoculated. Inoculation of biofertilizer enhanced plankton production, net primary productivity and fish biomass. However, highest values in most of these parameters were noticed only in ponds that were treated with the higher doses of inorganic fertilizers (urea 192 kg and SSP 1500 kg ha–1 y–1). © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

体重和温度对草鱼摄食小浮萍的影响

研究草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idella)对浮萍的摄食能力及主要影响因素,为合理利用草鱼控制小江回水区浮萍暴发提供依据。草鱼(体重29.7~491.2 g)取自红安县中海农业科技有限公司渔场,小浮萍种源采自重庆市云阳县高阳镇黄莲坝库湾。在试验室条件下研究了草鱼对小浮萍的最大摄食量、最大摄食率与体重和温度的关系。结果表明,在水温(25.82±0.57)℃条件下,随着体重的增加(40.36~478.17 g),草鱼的最大摄食量增大,但最大摄食率呈减小的趋势,两者与体重的相关关系分别为C_(max)=2.460W~(0.779),FR_(max)=246.0W~(-0.221);水温(16.55~30.50℃)对草鱼的最大摄食量和最大摄食率的影响极显著(P0.01),最大摄食量和最大摄食率与水温的回归方程分别为C_(max)=0.074T~(2.045),FR_(max)=0.164T~(1.940);建立的预测不同温度和体重条件下草鱼对小浮萍最大摄食率的模型为:FR_(max)=0.410T~(1.940)W~(-0.221)。     

A reovirus disease in cultured mud crab, Scylla serrata, in southern China

A reovirus, designated mud crab reovirus (MCRV), associated with large economic losses was recently isolated from marine cultured mud crab, Scylla serrata, in southern China. The complete viral particle is 70 nm in diameter, icosahedral and non-enveloped. The virus infects connective tissue cells of the hepatopancreas, gills and intestine in mud crab and develops in the cytoplasm. Hundred per cent mortality was observed in mud crab experimentally infected by intramuscular injection, bath inoculation and oral inoculation, while cohabitation infection caused 80% mortality. The viral genome consists of 13 linear dsRNA segments, with an electrophoretic pattern 1/5/7. The results of this study suggest that the virus is highly pathogenic and can be transmitted enterically as well as via the body surface of mud crab. Although the genomic organization of this virus is different from that of the other crab reoviruses, CcRV-W2 and DpPV, all three of these reoviruses have similar electrophoresis patterns. Therefore, MCRV may be a new member of the DpPV and CcRV-W2 group.