Variation in food availability impacts the performance of insects in terms of their size and age to maturity and fecundity. Age at maturity determines how quickly individuals in a population can start to reproduce and how much they can reproduce. Results from studies on various insect species show that food availability influences the size and fecundity of adult females. It is predicted that under poor growth conditions, variation in size is low, but variation in age at maturity is considerable. This prediction was examined in a widely distributed lady beetle species, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a predator of aphids and coccids. Using a food gradient from low to high aphid prey density, performance of females that were reared on excess food was recorded for pre‐reproductive duration, size at reproductive maturity, number of aphids consumed, and fecundity in the first 10 days of their reproductive period. Results suggested that female H. axyridis that were reared on surplus food when kept at low prey density (poor growth condition) took, on average, three times longer to attain maturity and produced, on average, 14 times fewer eggs than females that were also reared on surplus food, but kept at high prey density (good growth condition). Females performed best at a prey density of 30 aphids per female per 150 cm2. Results suggested that the current food availability significantly influenced the age and size of females at maturity and their fecundity. Age and size at maturity of female lady beetles showed non‐linear responses to prey density as well as the occurrence of a minimum size of females, below which H. axyridis females fail to mature. The steep slope recorded at lower prey densities suggests relatively high variation in age at maturity but low variation in size.
The study was undertaken to assess the perceived constraints in marketing of mango duringnormality and due to lockdown in West Bengal. In all, 90 respondents were randomlyconsidered for the study with equal proportionate of small, medium and large farmers.The perceived constraints faced and suggestions in improving the marketing of mangoeswere analyzed through Garrett ranking techniques. The study shows that the majorperceived constraints in marketing of mangoes during normality were high fluctuation inmarket price during season followed by inadequate marketing channel and exploitation bymiddlemen. But during the lockdown, the major perceived constraints were no market tosell their mangoes followed by exploitation by middlemen and small opening hours ofmarket. The suggestive measures recommended by the mango growers to improve marketingopportunities were stable market rate according to grade of mangoes followed by propermarketing channel and elimination of middlemen. The mangoes growers had not felt needfor cooperative marketing network or formation of Farmer Producer Company for itsmarketing.
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