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ThesisItem Open Access Economics of production and marketing of tuber crops in Palakkad district(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1997) Sheena, P A; KAU; Thomas, E KThe present investigation on the economics of production and marketing of tuber crops viz. coleus, sweet potato and tapioca in Palakkad district was undertaken during the year 1994-95. The study focussed on estimation of cost and returns and marketing system. Data for the study was generated through a sample survey of farmers, village traders, wholesalers and retailers. Two stage sampling technique was adopted for the study, with panchayats selected purposively and sample farmers by random sampling method. The sample size for each crop was 50 making a total of 150 sample respondents. The results of the cost structure analysis revealed that the largest single item of expense was rental value of own land for coleus and tapioca and for sweet potato chemical fertilizer had the highest expense. Among the explicit cost items male labour accounted the highest share in coleus while rental value of own land and farmyard manure were the most important item in sweet potato and tapioca respectively. Cost A1, Cost A2, Cost B1, Cost B2, Cost C1 and Cost C2 per hectare was Rs.10101.74, Rs.13016.86, Rs.10101.74, Rs.17593.80, Rs.10743.99 and Rs.18236.05 respectively for coleus and Rs.8124.94, Rs.8124.94, Rs.13304.05, Rs.8852.50 and Rs.14031.61 respectively for tapioca and Rs.6733.13, Rs.6733.13, Rs.6733.13 and Rs.9079.94, Rs.7311.04 and Rs.9654.84 respectively for sweet potato. The average per hectare yield of coleus, sweet potato and tapioca were 9154 kg, 8801 kilogram and 7398.73 kilogram respectively. Benefit-cost ratio for coleus was Rs.2.27, Rs.1.76, Rs.2.27, Rs.1.30, Rs.2.13 and Rs.1.25 based on costs A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 where as the corresponding figures for sweet potato were Rs.1.74, Rs.1.74, Rs.1.74, Rs.1.29, Rs.1.60 and Rs.1.21 respectively. In the case of tapioca Benefit cost ratio was Rs.3.19, Rs.3.19, Rs.3.19, Rs.1.95, Rs.2.93 and Rs.1.85. The income measures in relation to different cost concepts, in coleus cultivation such as gross income, farm business income, family labour income, net income and farm investment income were Rs.22884.72, Rs.12782.98, Rs.5290.92, Rs.4648.67 and Rs.12140.73 respectively and Rs.11734.04, Rs.5000.91, Rs.2654.10, Rs.2076.20 and Rs.4423.00 respectively for sweet potato and Rs.25895.56, Rs.17770.62, Rs.12591.51, Rs.11863.95 and Rs.17043.06 respectively for coleus. Functional analysis was carried out using Cobb-douglas production function and the results revealed that for coleus fertilizer was found to be negative and significant. The production elasticity of labour was negative and insignificant. Farmyard manure and planting material were found to be insignificant. With regard to sweet potato labour was found to be negative and significant and the production elasticity of fertilizer was found to be negative though insignificant. Farmyard manure and planting material was found to be significantly influencing production. Regarding tapioca the production elasticity of labour and farmyard manure was found to be negative though insignificant. The high value of production elasticity of area indicated the dominance of this particular factor. Marginal value product of farmyard manure and planting material for coleus and sweet potato were greater than their factor cost ratio and was negative for labour and fertilizer. In the case of marketing of coleus and sweet potato more than 95 per cent of the produce was sold to wholesalers through commission agents. The producer’s share was only 34.53 per cent and 31.76 per cent of the consumers’ rupee for coleus and sweet potato respectively. The index of marketing efficiency was 0.53 for coleus and 0.47 for sweet potato. Regarding tapioca the tubers who performed the role of commission agent and from them produce is taken by mill owners of Salem and Dindigul. Since there is a product diversification the marketing of tapioca tubers was studied only upto the intermediary level.ThesisItem Open Access Nutritional status of women engaged in the coir industry(Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1996) Lovely, Ranganath; KAU; Vimalakumari, N KThe study entitled Nutritional status of women engaged in the coir industry was carried out of assess the nutritional status of women engaged in the spinning of coir yarn and to find out its influence on the work output, which in turn could affect their socio economic status. For the evaluation of nutritional status, the study was conducted in two levels – on a macro sample of 200 coir workers and on a microsample of 40 women coir workers. Details of the socio economic survey showed that the majority of families were small nuclear type, headed by male members following Hinduism. The main occupation of the community was coir work and in all the families at least one woman was employed in a coir cooperative society in the vicinity. Many of the families had a monthly income that ranged between Rs.1000 to 2000. Lack of permanent and full time employment, high cost of living , inability to educate their children, problems related to economic burdens imposed by repayment of loans and medical expenses, lack of housing facilities and absence of male earning members in the family were the important economic problems, in the order of priority, as felt by the families, which have led them to a life of miserable existence. Their poor socio-economic background is reflected the fact that the physical amentities available to the coir worker’s household left much to be desired. All the families were found to be poverty stricken when the Rural Quality of life Index (RQLI) was calculated. The families suffered from household food insecurity that their diets were ill balanced and were deficient with respect to pulses, egg, meat, green leafy vegetables and fruits. The poverty and poor food intake by the families were reflected in the socio economic characteristics and low nutritional status of the women coir workers though they were wage earners. The poor nutritional status is reflected in their poor stature which was suggestive of low food intake and dual responsibilities of the household as well as of the work site. Apart from this the dietary inadequacy was reflected in wide prevalence of anaemia among 85.00 per cent of the respondents, from the microsample, which was found to influence their work output. The work output and nutritional status which are interrelated seemed to be further influenced by the poor working conditions, absence of physical amenities, poor food intake insanitary conditions and consequent parasitic infections and infestations. However, it is gratifying to note that occupational disorders were not prevalent to an extent that merits mention. The coir workers when spin the golden yarns of the economic and social fabric of the state of Kerala, the land of palms, re found to be tredding through a path of poverty and food insecurity leading them to poor nutritional and health status. This makes them a vulnerable lot needing economical social support from the rest of the population and from the Government, through a multidimensional approach, so that they may have better health and nutritional status so as to become the torch bearers of our heritage, who may boost our economy paving way to healthy descendants.ThesisItem Open Access Combining ability in vegetable cowpea(Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1992) Rejatha, V; KAU; Ramachandra Nair, NA 6 x 6 diallel analysis was conducted at the Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 1990, aimed at analysing the combining ability, gene action and heterosis of six vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata var-sesquipedalis) lines collected from the germplasm maintained in this department. The experiment I consisted of crossing the six parental lines in all possible combinations, without reciprocals. The material for experiment II consisted of the six parental lines and fifteen hybrids. They were grown in a Randomised Block Design with three replications.The combining ability analysis was carried out based on method 2 under model I as suggested by Griffing (1956). The treatments showed significant differences in most of characters except number of pods/plant and fruit yield/plant. The variance due to general combining ability was significant and higher in magnitude than specific combining ability for the characters days to flowering, mean weight of pod, mean length of pod, number of seeds/pod, length of internode and seed/pod ratio. It was found that the parent selection 104 and selection 145 were the best general combiners for most of the characters studied. The parent selection 129 was the best general combiner for earliness. The hybrids selection 145 x selection 129 was the best specific combiner for mean weight of pod and number of seeds/pod. The hybrid selection 145 x kurutholapayar was the best specific combiner for earliness. The significance of g.c.a. and s.c.a. variances for most of characters indicate the importance of additive and non-additive gene action in controlling the inheritance of these characters. But additive gene action played a major role suggesting that improvement could be made through selection. Heterosis was calculated over mid and better parental values. Maximum positive heterosis was found for the character fruit yield/plant. Since considerable heterosis was evident in most of the characters, heterosis breeding can be attempted in cowpeaThesisItem Open Access Combined application of granular preparations of pre-emergent herbicides and fertilizers in rice(Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1995) Bindu, N K; KAU; John, P SA field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Mannuthy under the Kerala Agricultural University during the first crop season of 1994 to find out the effect of pre-emergent herbicides and fertilizers in rice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design and consisted of fourteen treatments with three replications. Broadleaved weeds and sedges dominated the field. Among broadleaved weeds, Mono choria vaginalis and sphenocleazeylanica were predomint. Shoenoplectus lateriflorus and Cyperus difformis were the prominent sedges present in the field and Echinochloa colonum,saccolepis interrrupta and Isachne miliacea were the important grasses present. Butachlor, anilofos and oxyflourfen under different methods of application reduced the weed Population. Though oxyflourfen recorded high weed control efficiency, it was highly phytotoxic to the rice crop and resulted in poor crop stand. Butachlor and anilofos applied as homemade granular (GP) preparation or as spray alone, or in combination with fertilizer was safe to the crop. The available nutrient in the soil was not affected by the different methods of application of butachlor and anilofos, alone or when combined with fertilizer. Butachlor and anilofos as spray or as GP applied alone, or in combination with fertilizer recorded similar crop growth characteristics, yield and yield attributes. Nutrient up taken by weeds was lower in butachlor and anilofos treatment. Lower weed index values were recorded in butachlor and anilofos treatment. The highest return per rupee was obtained from anilofos treatments. The highest return per rupees was obtained from anilofos treatments. In general, combined application of anilofos or butachlor GP with fertilizer gave efficient control of weed, produced higher grain yields and high return per rupee invested. It also reduced cost, energy and time of weed control operation.ThesisItem Open Access Standardisation of fertilizer schedule for export oriented production of bhindi(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1993) Sajitharani, T; KAU; Pushpakumari, RAn experiment was conducted at the instructional farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to find out the effect of different levels of fertilizers and their split application on the growth, yield, quality and nutrient uptake of bhindi. Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench. The treatments consisted of four levels of nutrients Viz. (330: 110: 220 kg N2 P2O5 & K2O), the present T & V recommendation, 2/3 of the T & V recommendation, 1/3 of the T & V recommendation and 50: 8: 30 kg NP2O5 & K2O per hectare the present package of practices recommendation and 3 methods of application viz. nutrients in 2 splits, 4 splits and 6 splits. The results revealed that nutrient levels significantly influenced most of the growth and yield contributing characters and yield of bhindi. Biometric characters like plant height, LAI, CGR, DMP and yield contributing characters like days to 50 percent flowering, number of flowers formed, number of fruits formed total yield of fruits and quality parameters like protein content and ascorbic acid content increased with increasing levels of nutrients, recording their maximum value at F1 level, (T and V recommendation). Uptake of nutrients by plants, fruits and total was also maximum for the same treatment. However yield attributes viz. setting percentage, length and girth of fruits etc. remain unchanged with increasing levels of nutrients. Application of fertilizer nutrients in different splits viz. 2,4 or 6 cause significant variation in some of the growth and yield characters. An increase in the plant height at 60 DAS, DMP, days taken for 50 percent flowering and uptake of nutrients was noticed when nutrients were supplied in two equal splits, viz half as basal and half 30 DAS (S1). On the other hand the ascorbic acid content in fruits was maximum when nutrients were applied in six splits. Application of nutrients in 6 splits caused a significant reduction in the crude fibre content also. From the economic point of view, the maximum net profit of Rs.13682.54 was obtained by F3 level (2/3 of T and V recommendation) and Rs.14710.8 by S1 (2 equal splits half as basal and half 30 DAS).ThesisItem Open Access Associative effect of azospirillum and bradyrhizobium on nodulation and growth of cowpea (viqna unquiculata (l.) walp,(Department of Plant Pathology College of Horticulture Vellanikkara, 1992) Sunitha, Menon S.; KAU; Rajendran, Pillai M .VThesisItem Open Access Evaluation of f 1 hybrids resistant to bacterial wilt and inheritance of resistance in brinjal (lolanum melongena L.)(Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Geetha, Varghese; Abdul, Vahab M.The present studies "Evaluation of F hybrids resistant to bacterial wilt and inheritance of resistance in brinjal ( Solanum melongena L . ) were conducted during February 1990 to July 1991in the vegetable research plots of Kerala Agricultural University,Vellanikkara. Evaluation of F hybrids over 4 environments revealed that all the 3 hybr ids were superior to their parents for yield during all the four seasons. It also indicated significant role of genotype x environment interaction in the yielding abi l ity of the hybrids. Considering wilt resistance the hybrids were not superior to their parents. Varietal difference was observed for plant height, fruits/plant, fruit weight, fruiting period and productive flowers. Estimation of heterosis of three F^s over their parents revealed significant heterosis for plant height, days to flower, days to first fruitset, days to harvest, primary branches/plant, total fruits/plant, total yield/plant, average fruit weight and fruiting period. All the three hybr ids viz. Surya x Pant Rituraj, SM 6-6 x SM 132, SM 6-2 x Pusa Purple Cluster were stable. Study on the nature of inheritance showed that resistance to bacterial wilt is inherited in a recessive and monogenic manner.ThesisItem Open Access Studies on fertility status of rubber growing soils of Palakkad district(Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Mohanan, V; KAU; Nazeem, P AThesisItem Open Access Development of a suitable model for ascertaining the growth and egg production in quails(Department of Agricultural Statistics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) John Thomas, M; KAU; George, K CAn investigation was carried out into the growth and egg production aspect of Japanese quails at the Kerala Agricultural University Poultry Farm, Mannuthy on 1st February, 1989 with the following objectives. 1. to find a suitable relationship between age and body weight. 2. to investigate the" trend of egg production in quails through suitable mathematical models. ,3. to study the impact of climate parameters (temperature, ; , humidity) on egg production in quails. The birds were reared under uniform feed formula and ^identical management practices (recommended by Kerala Agricul tural University Package of Practices). The investigation mainly depended on' data consisting of weekly body weights of -ii^-dividual birds, daily egg production of birds (beginning from age at sexual maturity) and daily climatological para meters (temperature and humidity) from beginning till the end of experiment of 30th September, 1989. Mathematical models such as linear, quadratic, exponential, .Von-Bertalanffy, modified exponential, logistic and Gompertz were fitted for the purpose using body weights of ) individual birds as well as average body weights over twelve weeks and the fitted models were compared using coefficient of 2 determination (r ) and standard error of estimate(s). Mathematical models such as linear, exponentialf parabolic exponential, inverse polynomial. Gamma function. Gamma-type functic^n, quadratic function, quadratic function in logari'thmic scale, quadratic-cum-log, emperical and linear hyperbolic functions were fitted for the development of suitable models for ascertaining egg production using total weekly, fortnightly egg production, hen housed and hen day egg production and fitted models were compared using Furnival index, r^ and s. Multiple linear regression equation was fitted using average weekly egg production per bird as dependent variable and weekly temperature and humidity as explanatory variable to study the impact of climatological parameters on egg production in quails. The investigation has the following, salient features. (i) The hatching weight of Japanese quails were 7.1369 g. (ii) The females weighed more than the males during the entire period of experiment and the body weights have shown an increasing trend. At the end of 12th week the average body weights of males and females were 157.6552 g and 179.2500 g respectively. (iii) Rao's method justified that initial body weights • had no significant effect on growth rate. • (iv) Gompertz curve = a exp [-b exp(-kt)'] was most , suitable for , ascertaining growth in quails on individual basis as well as on the basis of • average body weights over twelve weeks. (v) Average age at sexual maturity (females) was found to be approximately 10 weeks and on an average the eggs weighed 12.20 g. (vi) Quadratic function in logarithmic scale ; = a f b(logJ^) + c(log^)^ was most suitable , for ascertaining egg production in quails (weekly, , fortnightly, hen housed and hen day production • basis). (vii) Climatic parameters had significant impact on egg production in quails.