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ThesisItem Open Access Management of foot rot of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) with mycoinoculant enriched vermicompost(Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2002) Divya, S; Sasikumar NairThe study, "Management of foot rot of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) with mycoinoculant enriched vermicompost" was done at the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Veliayani to explore the possibility of using vermicornpost as a carrier material for mass production of biocontrol agents and to test its efficacy in controlling the disease. The talc based inoculum of Trichoderma harzianum and soil based granular inoculum of Glomus Jasciculatum were mass produced in vermicompost either alone or in combination with farmyard manure or neem cake in the ratio 1 : 1 and 5 : 1 respectively and the efficacy was compared with the standard carrier material of FYM + neem cake (10 : 1). The population of T. harzianum 15 DAI was maximum in the treatment combination of VC + NC (5 : 1). However, the influence of these carrier materials on percentage of mycorrhizal infection 50 DAI was not statistically significant. Vermicompost as a carrier material for biocontrol agents was further tested in pepper var. Karimunda inoculated with P. capsici. Carrier materials as such had no significant influence on disease control. Reduction in foliar infection, disease index, stem infection and percentage mortality was observed in treatments with biocontrol agents. Disease control was maximum with the treatments involving T. harzianum while plant growth promotion was maximum with G. Jasciculatum. The physiological changes in pepper plants after inoculation with P. capsici and biocontrol agents were studied. The phenol and OD phenol content was more in pathogen inoculated plants. The defence related enzymes peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase were enhanced with pathogen inoculation as well as with the application of biocontrol agents. SDS-PAGE analysis of proteins with samples extracted from plants one day after inoculation of pathogen showed the presence of two novel proteins with molecular . weights of 78 kDa and 28 kDa in diseased samples which were absent in treatments without pathogen and also in plants treated with COC.ThesisItem Open Access Influence of different levels of energy on growth performance of crossbred pigs(Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2001) Rekha, P; KAU; George, MathenAn experiment was conducted to assess •the influence of different levels of energy on the growth performance of crossbred (Large White Yorkshire x Desi) pigs. Fifteen male (castrated) and fifteen female weaned crossbred piglets with an average body weight of 12.9 kg were divided into three equal groups as uniformly as possible with regard to age, sex and body weight. The three groups of piglets were maintained on three rations with 16 per cent crude protein but differing in their energy content, viz., 2800 kcal (T1), 3000 kcal CT2) and 3200 kcal (TI) of digestible energy (DE) per kg. The average daily gains recorded for the three groups T1, T2 and TI were 262.9, 302.0 and 362.8 g respectively. The cumulative feed conversion efficiencies were 6.0, 5.2 and 4.1 for the groups T1, T2 and TI respectively. The values recorded for TI were higher (P<0.01) than those for T1 and T2. The digestibility coefficients of nutrients except that of crude fibre and crude protein were found to improve with increase in the energy content of the rations. Study of the carcass traits revealed that the body weight at slaughter and dressed weight without head improved as the energy content of the rations increased. However, dressing percentage, carcass length and back fat thickness were not significantly influenced by the energy content of the ration. The cost of feed per kg weight gain of animals was significantly lower (P<0.01) for the dietary treatment T3 compared to that of T2 and Tl, the values being Rs.49.90, 43.30 and 34.10 for Tl, T2 and T3 respectively. The above results indicate that crossbred pigs require 3200 kcal of DE/kg of the ration for better growth performance provided the crude protein level is maintained at 16 per cent.ThesisItem Open Access Information education and communication (iec) for iodine defficiency disorders (idd) control(Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2000) Vishma, C A; Rajani, MThesisItem Open Access Investigations on etio-pathology of vomiting in dogs(Department of Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2001) Muraly, P; KAU; Baby, P GThe study "INVESTIGATIONS ON ETIO-PATHOLOGY OF VOMITING IN DOGS" was conducted in 20 dogs to evaluate ultrasonography and radiography as diagnostic tools in vomiting dogs; to assess hydration status, electrolyte and acid-base balance in vomiting dogs and to correlate clinico-pathologic findings with radiographic and ultrasonographic changes. Various parameters such as history, physical examination, hydration status, ultrasonography, radiography-plain and contrast, haematology, serum biochemistry, and wherever possible histopathology were studied. Most of the dogs under study had bile stained watery vomitus but dogs with pyloric stenosis had frothy or watery white vomitus. The frequency of vomiting in dogs with gastritis and gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction was two to seven times per day, it was variable in dogs with hepatic and renal disorders, but was associated with food intake in dogs with pyloric stenosis. Physical examination was found useful in dogs with GI obstruction, while it was non-specific in dogs with gastritis and renal disorders. Capillary refill time (CRT) and degree of sunken eye balls were helpful to assess dehydration. Estimation of volume of packed red cells (VPRC) was found beneficial to assess dehydration unless the dogs are anemic. Ultrasonography could not identify any lesions in dogs with gastritis, but was useful to detect GI obstructions due to pyloric stenosis, intussusception and foreign body and to characterise lesions in the parenchymal organs like liver and kidney. While plain radiographs could give indication to possible non-radiopaque GI obstructions, contrast radiography was required to confirm. Radiography could not identify any lesions in dogs with gastritis, hepatic and chronic intestitial nephritis. Hypokalemia with metabolic alkalosis was the significant electrolyte and acid-base derangement in dogs with vomiting due to gastritis and GI obstructions.ThesisItem Open Access Availability indices for stressed nutrients for coconut (Cocos nucifera L) in an ultisol(Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2003) Priya, P; KAU; Sureshkumar, PThe present study was conducted with an objective to analyse the soil-plant system, the levels and interactions of nutrient ions in soil, soil solution and plant thereby / finding out the contributing factors to yield. The importance of the term relative intensity lies in the fact that the contribution of mineral elements to growth and yield of plants depend much on the relative amount of one element with respect to the others rather than the absolute content of individual elements. To study the ionic interactions and to unravel the role of Net Ionic Equilibrium based on Ratio Law on soil plant system, a sample of fifty phenotypically identical palms varying in yield from 14.4 to 84.4 nuts palm" year"! grown under an Ultisol were selected. Index leaf samples were collected during pre and post monsoon seasons from 25 palms each from high yielding and low yielding groups. Soil samples were also collected from the basins of these palms during the same seasons at 30 cm (surface) arid 60 cm (subsurface) depths. Soil solutions at saturation point were extracted from the surface samples by centrifugation technique. These leaf, soil and solution samples were analysed / . for different nutrient ions, and the NIE ratios in these three phases were worked out with respect to K and Na. The soil samples were acidic in nature and the variation in rhizosphere pH must have definitely influenced the solubility as well as absorption of different nutrient ions. In the case of available nutrients, the micro nutrients showed significant direct relation with yield both for high and low yielding populations. This might be due to their restricted availability due to aerobic oxidised condition where Fe and Mn might have been precipitated and got into unavailable forms. The BaCh exchangeable ions and the CEC derived from summing up of these exchangeable ions influenced yield directly. Exchangeable K had got a significant dominance in deciding the NIE ratio in soil, solution and in index leaves. Exchangeable K controlled the soil solution concentration of K which in turn controlled the NIE ratio in solution and the ratios in plant. Exchangeable K directly controlled the plant K content and plant K was positively and significantly correlated with the NIE ratios in plant and these ratios were positively and significantly correlated with yield. The negative significant correlation of exchangeable K with plant Mn and Zn revealed the antagonistic effect of exchangeable K in restricting the absorption of Mn and Zn by plants. Among the ionic concentrations in soil solution, Fe was positively and significantly correlated with yield in both the seasons. Soil solution concentrations of Ca and Mg were antagonistically and significantly related with plant Mn content. Potassium content and the NIE ratio in index leaves were found to have a significant direct relation with yield in the pre-monsoon season. Potassium, Ca and Mg were the dominant cations in plant deciding the total cation concentration in index leaves. The NIE ratios between the exchangeable ions, the ions in soil solution and the ions in index leaf samples were mutually, .positively and significantly correlated among themselves. This lead to the conclusion that there exists a constancy in the relative proportion of nutrient ions in the entire soil-plant system which followed Ratio Law. The study lead to the conclusion that the soil test values of the individual ions alone or the plant content of individual ions alone can't give a clear picture of optimum nutrient requirements for the plant. The relative concentration of K in soil through the ~ concentration in soil solution was found to govern the relative concentration in plant which in turn influenced the yield.ThesisItem Open Access Diversity of small mammals in the Parambikulam wildlife sanctury(Department of Wild Life Sciences, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2003) Lekshmi, R; KAU; Ambika Varma, BA detailed study was conducted in the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary during 1999-200 I to prepare an inventory and to estimate the abundance of small mammal fauna in diverse ecological habitats of the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. In this study, a total of twenty seven species of small mammals belonging to eight orders were recorded from the Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. Among the eight orders Rodentia was represented maximum with eleven species followed by Carnivora with ten species, remaining orders represented only by a single species. While comparing the rodents trapped from different habitats, natural forest account for more number of species than plantation and vayal. The most common rodent species in the three habitats was Rattus rattus, whereas Golunda ellioti (Indian bush rat) was found only in the moist deciduous natural forest because of the favourable ecological conditions prevailing there. Maximum diversity was more in the natural forest than in plantation and vayal whereas species richness was more in vayal followed by plantation and natural forest. The relative dominance was also high in natural forest than plantation and vayal. Correlation between floral diversity and rodent species indicates that natural forest with more number of plant species possessed high rodent species richness. The ideal conditions prevailing in the natural forest would have helped the survival of rodent species. The lack of ideal conditions in the plantation and vayal would have been the reason for lesser number of rodent species.ThesisItem Open Access Immunodiagnosis of bovine gastrothylacosis using coproantigens(Department of parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2000) Kandasamy, A; KAU; Devada, KA study was conducted on the prevalence of paramphistomatidosis in Thrissur from June 1999 to May 2000, feasibility of coproantigen detection by ELlSA and comparison of sensitivity of ELlSA using coproantigens and ELlSA using serum antibodies in diagnosis of gastrothylacosis, caused by Gastrothy/ax crumenifer, in cattle. It was noted from the registers maintained at the University Veterinary Hospitals at Kokkalai and Mannuthy and that at the Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, that out of a total number of 1534 faecal samples from bovines examined, 253 (16.5 per cent) animals were found to be positive for amphistome eggs with the maximum prevalence (23 per cent) in June and July. Generally the infection was prevalent throughout the year. An indirect ELlSA using rabbit hyperimmune serum against somatic antigens of G. crumenifer was performed to detect coproantigens in faecal samples collected from 100 known G. crumenifer infected cattle. Seventy four samples were found to contain detectable levels of coproantigen indicating a sensitivity of 74 per cent. Serum samples collected from the same infected cattle were tested for antibodies to G. crumenifer by an indirect ELlSA using somatic antigens. Fifty one samples were found positive for antibodies indicating a sensitivity of 51 per cent. It was seen that when 43 cattle were positive for both coproantigens and serum antibodies, 18 cattle were negative for both of them. Although 31 cattle which were negative for serum antibodies were found positive for coproantigens, eight cattle negative for coproantigens were found positive for serum antibodies. The results showed that coproantigen detection, which revealed a higher sensitivity than the detection of serum antibodies by ELlSA, is feasible for the diagnosis of gastrothylacosis in bovines.ThesisItem Open Access Molecular characterization of piper species usiing RAPD technique(Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2002) Murugan, C; KAU; Sujatha, V SThe study on "Molecular characterization of Piper species using RAPD techniques" was conducted in the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices and CPBMB, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur from December, 1999 to August, 2001. Material included 13 species/accessions of the genus Piper including Piper nigrutn Linn. These were analysed with 20 selected oligomer decamer primers using PCR technique and agarose gel electrophoresis. The selection of ideal DNA isolation technique was done based on observations of purity of bands, quality of the DNA bands and quantity of DNA recovered. The protocol of Edwards et al. (1991) was selected for DNA isolation with additional step of chloroform-isoamyl alcohol treatment. Fifty decamer primers were screened using DNA. of P. nigrum and 20 were selected based on the number of bands produced, reproducibility of the bands and distinctness of the RAPD profile. RAPD profile of the 13 species of Piper were compared for genetic similarity index (using Jaccard's coefficient), with all 20 selected primers separately. Pooled similarity of the twenty primers put together was found out for 9 species which gave amplification for all the 20 selected primers. The results of pooled analysis was subjected to cluster analysis (SAl-IN) and phenetic dcndrogram was constructed employing UPGMA. Four clusters were obtained, comprising of two accessions of P. nigrum In the first, two accessions of P. longum in the second, P. colubrinutn and P. attenuatum forming the third cluster and P. chaba, P. belle and P. arboreum forming the fourth.ThesisItem Open Access Management of phytophthora disease of black pepper (piper nigrum L. walp) using plant growth promoting microbial inoculants(Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Mannuthy, 2003) Beena Nair, S; KAU; Anith, K NThe study, "Management of Phytophthora disease of black pepper (Piper nigrum L. Walp) using plant growth promoting microbial inoculants" was conducted at the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to investigate the effect of plant growth promoting rhizobacterial strains belonging to fluorescent pseudomonads and Bacillus spp. and the root endophytic fungus, Piriformospora indica on the suppression of nursery wilt of black pepper incited by Phytophthora capsici. Two strains of fluorescent pseudomonads viz., Pseudomonas putida strain 89B61 and P. jluorescens strain RCL3R4, two strains of Bacillus viz., BY -1 and BY -2 and P. indica were included in the study to explore their potential in plant growth promotion and disease suppression. P. capsici inoculated control, uninoculated healthy control, chemical control (0.20 per cent COC drenched at 15 days intervals) and combined application of Trichoderma harzianum and an AMF, Glomus fasciculatum were maintained for comparison. In the dual culture assay, conducted in vitro for preliminary screening, though P. indica exhibited a slight mycelial growth inhibition initially, the pathogen later overgrew the antagonist. Among the bacteria, fluorescent pseudomonad strains exhibited better mycelial growth inhibition 'on both PDA and Carrot Agar. The influence of different biocontrol agents on growth promotion of the black pepper cuttings was not statistically significant. However, the fluorescent pseudomonad, P. putida strain 89B61 exhibited maximum growth promotion. In the experiment conducted to test the potential of vanous plant growth promoting microbial inoculants in suppressing nursery wilt, the plants treated with spore suspension of P. indica exhibited the highest wilt percentage of 93.22 per cent which was more than that in the inoculated control (37.48). The plants treated with the fluorescent pseudomonad, P. jluorescens strain RCL3R4 recorded a wilt percentage of 6.70. All other treatments were highly effective and checked the infection completely. The Bacillus strain, BY -2 exhibited better disease suppression in vivo. The fluorescent pseudomonad, P. putida strain 89B61 also showed disease suppression in vivo, which indicated that it has the dual function of plant growth promotion and disease suppression.
