Aquacrops of Darbhanga District in north Bihar and their commercial significance
Item Type article
Authors Thakur, L.K.; Choudhary, B.; Thakur, N.K.
Download date 25/09/2021 07:24:11
Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/1834/32354 Journal of the Indian Fisheries Association 107 25, 1995 (Proc.Nat.Symp. Aquacrops), 107-111 AQUACROPS OF DARBHANGA DISTRICT IN NORTH BIHAR AND THEIR COMMERCIAL SIGNIFICANCE
LALITESH KUMAR THAKUR, B. CHOUDHARY AND N.K. THAKUR* Department of Geography, Ranchi University, Ranchi.
ABSTRACT Darbhanga district in North Bihar is characterised by thick alluvial soil, moderately good rainfall, high humidity, ample sunshine and numerous water resources in the form of perennial rivers, tributaries, streams, lakes, ponds, pools and puddles. The aquacrops of this district include several species of commercially important fishes, aquatic cash crops such as makhana (Euryale ferox), singhara (Trapa spp), lotus, lilly, Khubi etc. and molluscs. This paper highlights the commercial significance of these aquacrops and offers suggestions for their sustained development.
A survey to collect details of the aquacrops in Darbhanga was undertaken during 1988-89. Personal interviews were also held with aquafarmers and local inhabitants of the area. A variety of aquacrops are found in Darbhanga. Not all of them, however, are economically and commercially valuable for mankind. Commercially important spe.cies alone are included in this study.
Aquacrops of animal origin become important components of species mix in composite fish culture operations Fishes in the area. However, these ·exotic carps A large variety of freshwater fishes enjoy a subdued market status in the are found in Darbhanga district. region as compared to Indian major However, from the point of view of carps. commercial significance, Indian major The air-breathing fishes, specially carps, namely, catla, (Catla catla), rohu magur (Cldria batrachus) singhi (Labeo rohita) and mrigal (Cirrhinus (Heteropneustes fossilis) and kabai mrigala) reign supreme. They contribute (Anabas testudineus) are of special as much as 60% of the market arrivals significance in this region as they have of fishes in the area. The exotic varieties a high nutritive and therapeutic value. of carps, viz. silver carp These fishes thrive In highly (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) grass eutrophicated swampy and derelict carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and wa~rs of the district. Murrels or common carp· (Cyprinus carpio) have snakeheads of which four speies (Channa * Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Versova:, Bombay-400 061. 108 NOTES
marulius, C. striatus, C. punctatus and Molluscs C. gachua) are commonly encountered Pila or ap.ple snail, locally called in this area, also come into the category doka is the most commonly found mollusc of air -breathing fishes but they do not of the region. It occurs in ponds, tanks, attract consumers as magur, singhi and chaurs and paddy fields, commonly seen kabai do. Featherbacks (Notopterus sticking to aquatic plants and other chitala and N. notopterus) are also air objects in the water bodies. It feeds breathing fishes. Of the two species, mainly on succulent water plants and however, N. chitala: locally called occasionally on dead animal tissues. It bhunna is considered as a delicacy and is a popular food item amongst poor enjoys good consumer preference. The ·people. The flesh of Pila is believed to air-breathing fishes collectively help in diluting and flushing out the contribute as much as 10 to 15% to the kidney stone (Verma, 1994). The shell of market arrivale of fishes in the areas. Pila is used for making lime. For this, The catch of large catfishes, namely, the shell of Pila is burnt and ground buari (Wallago attu) and tengra is into powder form. The powder is then generally obtained from the capture mixed with water ·to make a paste which fisJ:lery operations of natural waters. is used in betel as also khaini (minced Large species of tengra include Mystus raw tobacco). seenghala alone. Ompok bimaculatus, The Himalayan tributaries of the locally called banspatta is also a catfish Ganga in North Bihar, namely, of considerable-commercial significance. Bagamati, Burhi Gandak etc. and their These catfishes collectively account for sub-tributaries flowing through the about 15% of the fish landings in the calcarious alluvial basin of the district area. hold substantial population of the bivalve Other species of fishes include molluscs, namely, Lamillidens sp. and suha (Gadusia chapra), gaincha Parryesia sp. locally known as situa or (Mastacembellus sp.), mara etc. seep; these bivalves have been used for making buttons and decorative items. These molluscs are also used for making Crustaceans shell mosaic-chips for cemented floors and shell dust for poultry feed and lime. Several varieties ~f small prawns and The inner surface of these bivalves have crabs found in Darbhanga are enjoyed shiny nacreous and show a possibility of as a d~licacy. Prawns, as a by-catch; producing pearls. from them. generally come into the cast net hauls of miscellaneous fishes from ponds, pools Aquacrops of plant origin and ditches while crabs occur in shallow Makhana water bodies, especially paddy fields. M~khana (Euryale ferox), a cash crop of the region, grows in shallow water NOTES 109 bodies and is characterised by its huge cultivation is not very high. thorny, elliptical orbicular leaves, Fisherfolk generally stock their floating on the surface ofwater. Its thick, makhana ponds with carps (rohu, catla fleshy and fibrous roots help it to stand and mrigal) seed but it hardly provides in mud. The interior of the fruit is full of them with any fish. Carps being water round black seeds, locally called as gurri. breathing fishes are not able to thrive The popped makhana sold in the market under such ecological adversities because · is prepared by processing its seeds. the water surface remains covered with Makhana serves as a dessert delicacy makhana leaves for a good part of the and is effective against deficiency disease cultivation period. It is, therefore, like beri-beri. It acts as cardiac stimulant recommended that air-breathing fishes and has binding action in dysentry. It is such as magur (Clarias batrachus), known in the East and South-East Asia singhi (Heteropneustes fossilis) and kawai for its astringent, deobstruent, anti (Anabas testudineus), which have the rheumatic, anti-diuretic and several capacity to withstand such adverse other medicinal properties (Jha et al., ecological conditions, be cultured with 1991). It also serves as a source of starch makhana. Culture trials of air-breathing for textile industry. fishes in makhana ponds have shown encouraging results. Physical North Bihar is the chief producer of improvement, forestalling escape of fish makhana, contributing as much as 90% stock from the pond will increase the of the total production of the country. economic returns from the water bodies Approximately, 2000 tonnes of popped under makhana cultivation (Thakur, makhana worth Rs. 10 crore is exported 1978 and 1996). outside north Bihar every year (Kargupta and Jha, 1996). Out of the total production of makhana from north Bihar, Singhara Darbhanga district contributes 32%, Madhubani 30%, Saharsa 15% while the Singhara or water chestnut as called rest is contributed from Katihar, Araria, m English, is a seasonal aquacrop. Madhepura, Purnea, Khagaria and Botanically, it is known as Trapa Champaran districts. bispinosa. It is a thickly rooted floating plant with its two third portion Makhana cultivation is a source of remaining under water in floating livlihood for fisherfolK of this area. It is condition due to air chambers, thereby usually grown in age old perennial water forming a thick mat in the water column. bodies having a thick layer of muck at Only its characteristic leaves having four the bottom. The average yield ranges sided blades, remain floating over the from 1250 to 1500 kg/ha. The dry edible surface. It is grown in ponds, jheels, popped makhana is one third of this railway and road side pits. The product. It is a labour-intensive crop even cultivation is done either by broadcasting though the expenditure involved in its 110 NOTES the seeds in May-June or by implanting and other such decorative items. By small pieces of plants in pond water virtue of its buoyancy, it is commonly during July-August. During October used as floats in fishing nets or as rafts November, fruits are harvested. Average for carrying men in deeper waters. yield ranges from 600 to 1000 kg/ha. The net returns are not very impressive, Koka specially when compared to makhana. As suggested by Banerji and Thakur Locally called koka (Nymphia (1980), there is a possibility of improving stellata), it is the famous water lily, well the economics of water bodies under known for its red, white, violet and singhara cultivation by stocking the variously coloured flowers. It is water with the seeds of air-breathing commonly spotted in ponds, tanks, road fishes as recommended for makhana side canals and even paddy fields. The ponds. stem, petioles and peduncles of koka are cooked as vegetable. Flowers are used for worship. Different parts of the plant Lotus are also known for their medicinal properties. Koka appears for sale in daily Locally called kamal (Nelumbo markets generally during rainy season. nucifera)~ it is commonly seen growing in ponds and tanks in Da1·bhanga district. Its dehydrated root is edible. The Kalmi or Karmi powdered form of its root is used as Botanically named as Ipomoea curative for several ailments. Lotus seed,. aquatica, it is an aquatic herb with long locally called kamal gatta, is highly stem trailing on mud floating over the nutritions and prescribed as energy food, water surface which is used as a specially for pregnant women. The most vegetable. The juice prepared from its commonly used item of the lotus plant, leaves is said to work as mild purgative however, is its leaf used as food plate. and blood purifier.
Khodhila Jalkumbhi It is a soft-wood plant. Its botanical Water hycinth, Eichhornia crassipes, name is Aeschynomena aspera. It can be is an aquatic weed which can be seen commonly spotted growing in ditches, carpetting most water bodies of the shallow uncleaned ponds and other region. The economic use of jalkumbhi marshy areas; particularly in their in the region is rather low. It can be marginal zones where water meets the very well made use of for making green land, retaining permanent wetness. The manure as also as a raw material for soft wood of khodhila is variously used paper industry. for making garlands, marriage caps, toys NOTES 111
Kush REFRERENCES
Kush (Desmostachya bipinnata) is a Banerji, S.R. and Thakur, N.K. 1980. perennial tall grass growing gregariously Towards a bumper harvest of in dry, and semi-dry areas on pond Singhara. Indian Farmers Digest. 13 embankments. It acts as a good soil (3&8) : 11-13 binder. Jha, V., Barat, G.K. and Jha, U.N. 1991. Nutritional evaluation of Euryale ferox Salisb. (Makhana). CONCLUSION J.Fd. Sci. Technol. 28 (5) : 326-328. In order to utilize the available Kargupta, A.N. and Jha, V. 1996. aquacrops of Darbhanga region for better Makhana (Euryla ferox) an aquatic economic returns, the following crop with high potential. The technologies could be made use of for Botanica, Dept. of Botany, Univ. developing location-specific packages and Delhi : 47-54. their subsequent transfer to the actual users. Thakur, L.K. 1990. Aquaculture Resources and Development in 1. Optimum utilization of ponds Darbhanga district. Ph.D. Thesis, and tanks of the region through semi Ranchi Univ. Bihar : 297 pp. intensive culture of carps. Thakur, N.K. 1978. Makhana culture. 2. Popularising culture of Indian Farming. 27 (10): 23-27. insectivorous fishes in makhana ponds for better economic returns. Thakur, N.K. 1996. In Darbhanga makhana-cum-fish culture may prove 3. Adoption of pen and cage culture a boon. !CAR News. 2 (1) : 14. techniques of aquaculture for effective utilization of swampy and derelict water Verma, A.M. 1994. Integrated fish bodies (chaurs, mans etc.) of the region. farming with water chestnut (Trapa bispinosa). Fishing Chimes. 14 : 29. 4. Utilization of other available freshwater aquaculture technologies such as freshwater prawn farming, pearl culture etc.