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ThesisItem Open Access Studies on the burrowing nematode radopholus similis (cobb,1893) thorne 1949 on pepper(Piper nigrum L.) and its role in slow wilt disease(Department of plant pathology, University of agricultural sciences, Bangalore, 1976) Venkitesan, T S; Setty, K G HThesisItem Open Access Studies on the performance of two groundnut varieties, TMV-2 and TMV-9, under graded doses of phosphorus and potassium.(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1978) Purushothaman Nair, N; KAU; Sadanandan, NThesisItem Open Access Study on adoption of soil conservation measures by farmers in scheme areas of Trivandrum District(Department of Agricultural Extension, College Of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1978) Balakrishna Pillai, G; KAU; Nair, G TThe magnitude of the problem of soil erosion is so high in Kerala mainly due to the undulating topography and high intensity of rainfall. More than 10 lakhs hectares of undulating land have to be protected from the hazards of erosion by effective soil conservation measures . The results of studies conducted on the soil loss by the soil conservation station. Konni has shown that the soil loss where slope was 30 per cent was 241.56 tonnes per acre per year. Attempts are made to control the serious loss of top soil by the Department of Agriculture (Soil Coservation Unit) by implementing integrated soil conservation schemes. But the progress of coverage was poor. Even in scheme areas, many farmers are non -adopters of the required soil conservation works. Many farmers have not taken up the required Agronomy and Agrostology works eventhough theycompleted the contour bunding works. A detailed study was essential to understand all those aspects of adoption . This study was an effort in that direction.ThesisItem Open Access Genetic variability and path coefficient studies on fodder yield and its components in oats( Avena sativa. L.)(Department of Agricultural Botany, Rajasthan college of Agriculture, University of Udaipur, 1976) Sukumaran, Nair PThesisItem Open Access Study on the role of leadership in agricultural development in rural areas in Kerala(Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture Vellayani, Trivandrum, 1979) Muthiah Manoharan, P; KAU; Thiagarajan Nair, GThis study on the role of leadership in agricultural development was designed to measure the role perception and 1 f role performance of different categories of leaders, as well as the factors associated with the role performance of leaders. This study was conducted in Arayoor I.P.D. Unit in Trivandrum District. This study covered five categories of leaders viz., Agricultural, Political, Co-operative, Ela committee and Panchayat leaders. The important findings were the following: 1. There was no significant difference among all categories of leaders regarding their age, educational level, communication skill, attitude towards agriculture and knowledge of the programme and improved agricultural practices. . 2. Agricultural and Ela committee leaders had higher farm size, higher income and had adopted more practices when compared to other categories of leaders. . 3* Agricultural, Panchayat and Co-operative leaders had high value orientation, high achievement motivation and had more favourable attitude towards high yielding varieties than other categories of leaders. 4. Co-operative leaders had more favourable attitude than other categories of leaders towards fertilizers* Panchayat, Agricultural and Political leaders had more favourable attitude than other categories of leaders towards plant protection. 5. Ela committee leaders had more mass media exposure than other categories of leaders. Ela committee, Agricultural and Panchayat leaders had more frequent contact with extension agency than other categories of leaders. ■ 6. The results revealed that Panchayat and Agricultural leaders had more perception of agricultural development roles than other categories of leaders. Agricultural leaders performed more roles in agricultural development than other categories of leaders. 7. When the pooled ranks were worked out the role "Accept improved agricultural practices before others" emerged as the most important role perceived as well as performed by the leaders. 8. Mass media exposure was significantly correlated with the role performance except in Political leaders. Caste also had influence in role performance. 9. Six variables viz., farm size, income, knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour were correlated, with role performance . significantly when the pooled data were considered. 10. Inter-correlation analysis lead to the conclusion that farm size had significant correlation with income, knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour. Income was significantly correlated with knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour. Knowledge was significantly correlated with contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour. There was also a significant correlation between mass media exposure and contact with extension agency. 11, It was also observed that the proportion of role performance explained by the variables viz., farm size, income, knowledge, mass media exposure, contact with extension agency and adoption behaviour was 50 percent.ThesisItem Open Access Study on the effect of foliar application of urea and planofix on the growth, yield and quality of ginger varieties (Zingiber officinale Roscoe)(Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture Bhubaneswar, 1975) Sreekandan, Nair; Das, R CThesisItem Open Access Genetic studies in sweet potato (ipomoea batatas(l.)lam.) a biometric approach(Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1979) Joseph, C A; KAU; Mary George, KIn a varietal evaluation of 40 varieties of sweet potato all the 15 characters studied showed highly significant differences among the varieties. This was also expressed in the higher phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation. The high degree of variability especially in tuber characters offers scope for recombining desirable genes from different varieties. Tuber yield showed significant positive correlation with number of tubers, tuber diameter and harvest index, and significant negative correlation with internode length, vine length and top weight. Path-coefficient analysis revealed that among the first order components of tuber yield, tuber diameter, length and number and top weight had high positive direct effects while leaf area index had a negative direct effect. A comparison of the direct and indirect effects of first and second order components revealed that while selecting for high yielding types, a balanced approach may be adopted with regard to the different yield attributes. Genetic divergence in the available germ plasm was estimated using the Mahalanobis' D2 statistic and based on this the 40 varieties were grouped into 12 clusters. The number of verities in each cluster ranged from one to eight. The divergence between different clusters was not always due to divergence in the same set of characters but a combination of different sets of characters. Out of the fifteen characters studied seven viz., tuber diameter, vine length, number of branches, number of tubers, tuber yield, top weight and number of leaves accounted for more than 80 per cent of the divergence in the material. Canonical analysis also more or less confirmed the grouping of the verities made by Tocher's method. Eight varieties selected on the basis of genetic divergence were used for progeny studies. All these varieties were found to be completely self-incompatible. It is observed that time of pollination markedly affected fruit and seed set. Maximum fruit and seed set was obtained between 7 and 7.30 a.m. And it progressively decreased as time passes. The weather conditions prevailing during the period of anthesis and pollination also influenced fruit and seed set. Maximum, minimum and mean temperature had significant negative correlation with both fruit and seed set. Path-coefficient anaysis revealed that most of the weather elements studied had negative direct effect on fruit and seed set. The total contribution of weather elements alone on fruit and seed set worked out to 40 and 32.5 percent respectively and hence any study on incompatibility and sterility in sweet potato may be conducted under controlled environmental conditions for reliable results. Genetic analysis of quantitative characters was done utilising line x tester and open pollinated progenies of the eight selected varieties. In the open pollinated progenies, existence of non- additive and environmental effects were observed in top weight, vine length, tuber diameter and leaf area index, and additive effects in number of leaves, number of tubers and tuber yield. In the line x tester progenies, additive variance was high compared to non- additive components in all the characters except the number of branches. The regression coefficients of progenies on male and mid- parental values were significant in seven out of ten characters in the line x teater progenies and in four characters on female parental values in the open pollinated progenies. The standardised regression coefficients reduced the magnitude and variability in the regression coefficients to some extent. The estimates of broad sense heritability from the varietal evaluation was higher in magnitude for most of the characters than the estimates of narrow sense heritability obtained from components of variance in open pollinated and line x tester progenies. Tuber yield showed 70.61 and 43.65 per cent heritability from the components of variance analyses in the open pollinated and line x tester progenies respectively, while number of tubers showed 82.75 and 70.07 per cent heritability. The variance between males was significant in respect of top weight, vine length, number of leaves, number of tubers, tuber diameter, leaf area index and harvest index, while the variance between females was significant only in tuber length. Significant reciprocal differences were observed in top weight, number of tubers, leaf area index and harvest index. With respect to general combining ability significant positive effects were observed in number of tubers in the varieties J.29 and H.42, tuber length in Palchakram and H.42, tuber diamter in IB.40 and Chakkaravalli and harvest index in J.29 and Palchakram. Significant heterotic effects were observed in a number of vine and tuber characters in both hybrid and open pollinated progenies. Seven hybrid progenies showed significant increase in tuber yield which ranged from 31.25 to 84.63 per cent over the higher parental values. Both hybrid and open pollinated progenies gave heterotic combinations for economic characters. The varieties which gave heterotic progenies by open pollination have performed well in certain hybrid combinations also. Considering the difficulties in the large scale hybridization and production of hybrid seedling, it is suggested that open pollination in selected varieties especially good combiners can be adopted as a quick and efficient method for varietal improvement in sweet potatoThesisItem Open Access Optimization of agronomic resources for maximizing grain and mill yield of rice(Department of Agricultural Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 1976) Kannan, Mukundan; KAU; Pande, H KAn investigation was planned during the main growing season, i.e., ‘aman’ (June to November ) to find out the optimum levels of the major inputs for rice cultivation such as nitrogen, phosphate, and water, associated with the management practices like optimum time of harvest, in order to maximize production and to obtain quality paddy which, when processed, should give a high quality rice and thereby high economic return. Keeping the above points in view, four field experiments were conducted during two consecutive ‘aman’ seasons of 1972 and 1973 in a cultivators’ field at abhoy Ashram, Balaramapur which is located about 3 km south – east of the Institute. The farm soil was silty – clay – loam, having a pH of 8.1. The experiments were conducted with the high – yielding rice variety IR 22 to study its performance under three levels each of nitrogen, phosphate and submergence and laid out in 3 x 3 x 3 confounded design. Nine additional plots to accommodate ‘o’ levels of nitrogen and phosphate were included for fitting production functions. In the first year of experimentation, the nitrogen and phosphate levels were 60, 120 and 180 kg/ha and 30, 60 and 90 kg/ha respectively. In the second year, the levels were 60, 90 and 120 kg N/ha and 30, 45 and 60 kg P2O5/ha. The modification in the levels of nitrogen and phosphate, in the second year, were made on the basis of the findings of the first year of experimentation. In both the years, the levels of submergence were kept constant, i.e., 0 – 5 cm, 5 + 2 cm, and 10 + 2 cm. For finding out the optimum grain moisture at harvest, suitable for higher milling yield, the crop was harvested at 25.5 – 22.5, 22.5 – 19.5 – 16.5 and 16.5 – 13.5 per cent grain moisture. The optimum levels of each input for maximizing grain yield and head yield were found out by fitting production functions. To identify a suitable variety under a specific management of production and processing, four high yielding rice varieties – Sona, Jayanthi, Pankaj and IR 22 were grown in ‘aman’ season of 1972 and 1973 with similar levels of nitrogen and phosphate as mentioned in Experiments 1 and 2; an additional treatment, with nitrogen and phosphate at ‘o’ level was also included. These experiments were laid out in 4 x 4 x 4 confounded design. The crop was grown under continuous submergence of 5 +2 cm and was harvested at grain moisture content ranging between 19.5 and 16.5 per cent. Treatment wise experimental details and the salient findings are given in the following pages. Positive response with reference to grain yield, total mill yield and head yield of variety IR 22 was noted up to 90 kg N/ha and 45 kg P2O5/ha. Further increase in nitrogen and phosphate levels to 120 kg/ha and 60 kg/ha respectively did not and its percentage was minimized by harvesting the crop above 19.5 per cent grain moisture or between 26 and 30 days after flowering. However, by increasing the level of nitrogen from 90 to 120 kg/ha and 120 to 180 kg/ha, the head yield and its recovery percent was less affected even when the crop was harvested with some delay, i.e., between 19.5 and 16.5 per cent grain moisture or between 35 and 37 days after flowering. The influence of phosphate on grain yield and milling quality, particularly head yield recovery percentage, was more pronounced when considered in combination with grain moisture at harvest. A suitable water management practice, of growing the crop with shallow submergence of 5 + 2 cm was found beneficial in increasing the yield as well as the milling and head yields. The influence of submergence on the head yield recovery percentage was, however, not to the same extent as that of nitrogen and grain moisture at harvest. On fitting the function, for variety IR 22, it could be ascertained that maximum grain yield to the extent of 5112 kg/ha can be attained with the optimum levels of 119 kg N/ha, 59 kg P2O5/ha, 149 cm of water and 22.4 per cent grain moisture at harvest which corresponded to harvesting the crop about 30 days after flowering. On the other hand, maximum head yield to the extent of 3562 kg/ha can be attained with the optimum levels of 124 kg N/ha, 51 kg P2O5/ha, 159 cm of water and around 26 per cent grain moisture at harvest which corresponded to harvesting the crop about 26 days after flowering. The grain yield and consequently, the gross and net returns were maximum under the same levels of nitrogen, phosphate, submergence and grain moisture at harvest. However, from an assessment of rough rice and polished rice along with broken, bran and husk, it was ascertained that the increase in net return to the extent of 984 k/ha was possible only by processing the rough rice. The positive response in grain yield of all the varieties was found only up to 90 kg N/ha and 45 kg P2O5/ha. In varietal comparison, grain yield, mill yield, head yield and net return were found to be maximum in case of the variety Pankaj, amounting to 5192 kg/ha, 3768 kg/ha, 3027 kg/ha and 1716 Rs/ha respectively. The variety Pankaj was followed by IR 22, Sona and Jayanthi in order. However, in milling quality, particularly head yield recovery percent, IR 22 was found superior to all the other varieties. Further, the variety IR 22, with along and slender grains, proved superior in quality to Pankaj, with long and bold grain. The former, eventually, has higher market value that brought higher return. These characteristics in IR 22 narrowed the difference in profit, when compared to Pankaj, though the latter has significantly higher grain yield the additional net return over milled rice was estimated at 877 Rs/ha in case of IR 22 and 833 Rs/ha in case of Pankaj. The agro – climatic conditions of this region of West Bengal, where rice is the only crop during ‘aman’, provide better prospects for cultivation of variety IR 22 as well as Pankaj. In quality criteria as well as growing period, IR 22 may prove superior to Pankaj. Their cultivation for higher yield and quality rice is possible only through suitable levels of fertility and water inputs as well as management input which includes the timeliness of operations, particularly harvesting, because it has a greater impact on the final outturn of the produce as quality rice.ThesisItem Open Access Studies on the pathogenicity of tetrameres mohtedai and acuaria spiralis of fowl(Department of parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1977) Ramaswamy, K; KAU; Sundaram, R KControlled experiments were conducted at three levels of monospecific and dispecific infections with two commonly occurring spirurid worms of fowls viz. Tetrameres mohtedai and Acuaria spiralis. The blood studies conducted in monospecific T. mohtedai infection revealed a normocytic normochromic anaemia and eosinophilia during the initial phase and later a macrocytic anaemia, heterophilia and slight monocytosis by 66th day post infection. The infected birds lost considerable amount of their body weight. In layers there was a great delay in sexual maturity and poor feed efficiency as indicated by greatly reduced egg production. The percentage of establishment of worms in these experiments were found to be inversely proportional to the number of juveniles administered. The pathological changes in the affected proventriculi indicated an acute inflammation during the invasive phase of juveniles, followed by a chronic reaction which by 55th day post infection was well established indicating the development of a host – parasite balance towards the later stages of infection. Among the blood changes in monospecific A. spiralis infection, eosinophilia was evident initially followed by a marked leucopenia and development of a macrocytic hypochromic anaemia. Other effects due to parasitism were, delayed maturity, reduced rate of egg production, poor feed efficiency, loss of weight, emaciation and a mortality rate of 25% in chicks. The gross pathological changes in Acuariasis included the appearance of an irregular whitish patch on the serosa and formation of nodular growths in the mucosa which in heavy infections occupy the whole of the mucous membrane. Juveniles of A. spiralis were found to invade the compound glands in very heavy infections. The microscopic changes indicate a severe acute inflammation during the initial stages. Later as the disease became chronic pedunculated fibro – adenamatoid growths were evident on the mucous membrane. In dispecific infections with T. mohtedai and A. spiralis the haematological changes observed were eosinophilia during the early stages followed by a l eucopenia and heterophilia. As the disease progressed a macrocytic hypochromic anaemia developed. There was a great decrease in the live body weight of the infected birds. A mortality of 33.33% were observed in chicks with heavy infection. In layers the sexual maturity was delayed and egg production was greatly suppressed with consequent poor feed utilization. The gross and microscopic changes found in the affected proventriculi indicated a combination of lesions observed under monospecific infections of both the parasites. The results obtained show that the loss due to morbidity (mainly as a result of decreased body weight and reduced rate of egg production) was considerable. These facts indicate that both T. mohtedai and A. spiralis are economically important.
