Loading...
University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru
University of Agricultural Sciences Bangalore, a premier institution of agricultural education and research in the country, began as a small agricultural research farm in 1899 on 30 acres of land donated by Her Excellency Maharani Kempa Nanjammanni Vani Vilasa Sannidhiyavaru, the Regent of Mysore and appointed Dr. Lehmann, German Scientist to initiate research on soil crop response with a Laboratory in the Directorate of Agriculture. Later under the initiative of the Dewan of Mysore Sir M. Vishweshwaraiah, the Mysore Agriculture Residential School was established in 1913 at Hebbal which offered Licentiate in Agriculture and later offered a diploma programme in agriculture during 1920. The School was upgraded to Agriculture Collegein 1946 which offered four year degree programs in Agriculture. The Government of Mysore headed by Sri. S. Nijalingappa, the then Chief Minister, established the University of Agricultural Sciences on the pattern of Land Grant College system of USA and the University of Agricultural Sciences Act No. 22 was passed in Legislative Assembly in 1963. Dr. Zakir Hussain, the Vice President of India inaugurated the University on 21st August 1964.
Browse
7 results
Search Results
ThesisItem Open Access ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELING FOR CHEMICAL PROSPECTING OF FOREST SPECIES: A CASE STUDY IN Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Graham) Mabb.(University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, 2010-01-12) RAGHAVENDRA., H. P.; Ganeshaiah, K. N.Ecological Niche Modeling (ENM) has become powerful tool in predicting the geographic distribution of a given species. Being modelling process, it maps the similar habitat conditions corresponding to the habitat type of the places of known occurrence of the species and stratifies the area from most suitable to least suitable habitat for the species occurrences. However, in this study an attempt has been made to test the potentiality of ENM in prospecting for the populations that yield high level of seconday metabolites in particular, CPT. The underlying assumption of ENM here is, the plants in most suitable area are expected to show higher fitness , higher regeneration status, and hence the traits that confirms the fitness would be expected to be high in most suitable area compared to least suitable area. There are hardly any attempts made to this important assumption, however, in this study we provide evidence towards this assumption in specific metabolite, CPT. Therefore we proposed to use ENM to predict the habitat suitability for Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Graham), which produce an anticancer drug, Comptothecin (CPT). Firstly we developed niche map for N. nimmoniana using DIVA- GIS and Maxent. However in this study to validate the ENM assumption, density, regeneration, girth of trees, fluctuating leaf asymmetry, and specific leaf weight were considered as fitness measures. Result indicated that, mean % CPT content is significantly higher in predicted most suitable habitat compared to least suitable habitat wherein population showed higher regeneration status and higher fitness. Therefore, we concluding that, production of CPT in N. nimmoniana could be purely a spin-off of growth and reproduction. Thus, results from this study validated the assumption of ENM accordingly suggested that, ENM could be potentially used to predict the niches of high fitness and area with high level of secondary metabolites.ThesisItem Open Access POPULATION DENSITY AND EFFICIENCY OF POLLINATION IN FIGS(University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, 2010-04-10) KARUMBAIAH, B. A.; GANESHAIAH, K. N.Pollination of figs by the agaonid wasps is one of the few well known cases of obligate mutualism between insects and plants. The wasps emerging from the mature syconium will have to search for another receptive tree as the same tree would not bear receptive syconium. Producing syconia consistently is very important for the fig trees in order to sustain the fig wasp population as the life span of fig wasp is short. This attribute has rendered it the title ‘keystone species’. However the interval between fruiting periods and the duration of syconia’s receptivity is believed to determine the survival of local pollinator wasps. Wasps would not reach out to the receptive figs if there are limited number of trees which are spatially isolated. Hence there should be some critical population size of fig trees to sustain pollinator population. There was no clear understanding about the role of spatial distribution of trees and its effect on pollination efficiency. In this context, our study considered the number of founder wasps entering into the syconium as an indicator for estimating the pollination efficiency. Using Mapinfo, it was found that the trees were clustered in the study area. It was also found that with the increase in distance between RFT’s (Reproductively Functional Trees), the number of foundress wasps decreases. Based on the relation between pollination efficiency and inter tree distance, asynchrony within trees and asynchrony among trees, the critical population required was conforming to actual population. In summary the proportion of trees which suffered inefficient pollination was found to be small and most of the trees were present at relatively comfortable distance to receive at least optimum number of foundress waspThesisItem Open Access CHARACTERIZATION AND AMELIORATION OF BIODIESEL SPENTWASH(University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, 2010-07-15) MOHANA, V. S.; BALAKRISHNA, GOWDAA study was conducted to characterize and ameliorate the biodiesel spentwash to know its application in irrigation and other commercial purposes and also to identify its effect on seed germination and other growth parameters of crops like paddy (Oryza sativa L.) and French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The spentwash sample obtained from the Biodiesel Production Unit, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru was used for analysis. The physicochemical parameters of the spentwash viz., colour, odour, pH, EC, TDS, TSS, BOD, COD, N, P, K, total bacteria and E. coli populations have been analyzed. The influence of storage, sand filtration and coagulation was studied to assess the amelioration effect to use the spentwash for irrigation. Experiments were conducted to assess the quality of spentwash for germination with paddy and French bean crops. The study results were analyzed using standard statistical procedure. The biodiesel spentwash was dark yellow creamish in colour with pungent smell. The spentwash has high pH, EC, oxygen demanding waste and contains high amounts of soluble salts and plant nutrients. Among the physical treatment methods, sand filtration was found to be the most effective in improving the quality of the spentwash by reducing the pollutants present in it. Among the coagulants potash alum was found to be effective in improving the quality of biodiesel spentwash. Germination studies revealed that lower concentrations of spentwash and treated spentwash samples showed favorable influence on seed germination and other growth parameters of paddy and French bean crops, whereas higher concentrations and untreated (raw spent wash) spentwash has shown inhibitory effects.ThesisItem Open Access STUDIES ON SURAHONNE (Calophyllum inophyllum L.)- A PROMISING BIOFUEL SPECIES FROM COASTAL KARNATAKA(University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, 2010-07-10) MADHUSUDANA, M. K.; PRASANNA, K. T.Survey and documentation of Calophyllum was carried out along the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts of coastal Karnataka which is their natural home. The population is abundant near the coast as compared to interior land. Local people have many applications of this species viz. Agricultural implements, boat construction and medicinal purposes. The physical characteristics of the fruit and seed kernels varied with the climatic and edaphic factors. Oil content in the kernels was high in the coastal area as compared to interior parts. The oil yield in the kernels was found to be in the range of 47-70 %. The quality of the oil was determined by estimating acid value, iodine value, saponification values which were found to be low in the samples collected near the coast compared to interior parts, in the range 20 - 40 mg KOH/mg, 81 to 104, 186 - 226 respectively. The Storage studies indicated that the acid value of oil increases with storage. NPK content in the oil cake is 3.9% N, 0.9% P and 1.3% K respectively which could be a very good organic fertilizer. Biodiesel was produced through transesterification of oil using Methanol and NaOH and yields 85% conversion, fuel properties like viscosity (6.0 cSt at 40o C), density (0.88 kg/m3), calorific value (34 MJ/kg), flash point (178o C) and fire point (196o C) all were in specified limit. The study revealed that the Calophyllum is one of the suitable candidates for the biodiesel production. Promoting this species as a biofuel species helps in conserving the coastal biodiversity and also helps in augmenting the income levels of the local community as a economic plant.ThesisItem Open Access COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CARBON ASSIMILATION AND LIGNIN DECOMPOSITION FROM LEAF FALL OF Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia nilotica, Albizzia lebbeck AND Albizzia odoratissima(University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, 2010-07-15) MANJULA, S.; CHANDRA PRAKASH, J.In the present investigation carbon assimilation and lignin decomposition from leaf fall of Acacia auriculiformis, Acacia nilotica, Albizzia lebbeck and Albizzia odoratissima were comparatively studied. The leaf litters and soil samples of these four different species were collected from ten different places in and around Bengaluru such as Chikkajala, Doddajala, Menakunte, Uttanahalli, Mynayakanahalli, Channahalli, Tarabanahalli, Yedenahalli, Sadahalli and Vidyanagar. The physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and leaf litters were analyzed initially. Lignin and cellulose content were estimated. C, P, K, Mg, cellulose and lignin content of Acacia auriculiformis litter were high (49.72 %, 0.31 %, 2.78 %, 1.08 %, 47.14 % and 38 %). The N content of Albizzia lebbeck leaf litter was high (2.53 %). The C: N ratio of Acacia nilotica litter was high and low in Albizzia lebbeck. Decomposing fungi from selected habitats were also isolated. The fungal genera such as Aspergillus, Alternaria, Penicillium, Fusarium and Agaricus were isolated and identified. The results showed that the pH of the soils decreased as the decomposition progressed for 120 days of decomposition. The maximum organic carbon was recorded in Albizzia odoratissima incorporated soils. The total N content of Albizzia odoratissima incorporated soils was maximum and Acacia leaves recorded least nitrogen. After 120 days of decomposition the lignin and cellulose content were highly reduced in Albizzia lebbeck incorporated soils. Acacia auriculiformis recorded the highest lignin and cellulose content. The rate of decomposition in terms of evolution of CO2 was separately studied. The maximum CO2 evolution was registered with the incorporation of Albizzia lebbeck. The rate of decomposition of leaf litter at the end of incubation period (120 days) was in the order of Albizzia lebbeck > Albizzia odoratissima > Acacia nilotica > Acacia auriculiformis.ThesisItem Open Access POLLINATION EFFICIENCY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THREE PREDOMINANT SPECIES OF FIGS(University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, 2010-07-15) SAYED ESMAIL, EMRAN; GANESHAIAH, K. N.Figs (Ficus) and fig-pollinator-wasps (Agaonidae) are highly coevolved mutualists that depend completely on each other for continued reproduction. The pollination cycle of this association is divided in to four discrete stages that are used world over for the studies on ecology, evolution and natural history of species. In this study these pollination phases of three monoecious species viz., F. racemosa, F. benghalensis, F. religiosa were studied in three different seasons viz., winter, summer and rainy. Alongside this, the efficiency of pollination was also studied. The pollination cycle in all the three species was significantly longer during winter extending up to two months and shorter during summer and rainy season; in the latter seasons the entire cycle was over in about four weeks. Accordingly the four stages viz., A, B, C and D also differed among seasons. Differences among seasons were more pronounced than that among species. In fact the three species showed almost similar temporal cycles. Pollination efficiency as evident by the number of wasps entering the syconia, was higher in summer followed by rainy and winter season in all the three species. Similarly the pollination efficiency as reflected by the number of wasps and seeds emerging also showed a similar trend- summer being the best and least efficient during winter. However there were no differences in the proportion of seeds and wasps during the three seasons. All the species had about 60-70 per cent of the total syconial flowers developing in to seeds while the rest were wasps. The associations among the syconia size and the wasps entering and, or, emerging were not always significant indicating that the size of syconia may not be a significant factor in shaping the efficiency of pollination.ThesisItem Open Access POLLUTION OF SELECTED RURAL AND URBAN LAKES(UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES GKVK, BENGALURU, 2010-07-10) RAJESH GAVAL, A; RAJANNA, M DOver exploitation of natural resources coupled with urbanization has posed serious threat to many seasonal and perennial lakes of Karnataka. The ecological implications of sedimentation and eutrophication can only be realized by the characterizing of than on scientific basis. The urban lakes need special attention as they are laden with higher load of industrial, sewage and toxic pollutants. With this view, a detailed study was conducted to characterize selected two rural (Gotakanapura and Muduganukunte) and two urban lakes (Hebbal and Puttenahalli) in and around Bangalore. The lakes were evaluated during three different seasons (viz., monsoon, winter and summer) for plant diversity, sediments and nutrient accumulation in selected crops as influenced by irrigation with lake waters. The results revealed that urban lakes were more seriously subjected to pollution and sedimentation than rural lakes. The urban lakes were more polluted in summer than other seasons. The higher level of pollution in urban lakes was indicated by parameters like pH, EC, TDS, BOD, COD, carbonate, bicarbonate, nitrate, phosphate and sodium (8.10, 1.16 dSm-1, 1542.0 mg/l, 39.5 mg/l, 162.5 mg/l, 16.17 mg/l, 388.6 mg/l, 18.60 mg/l, 1.72 mg/l and 187.7 mg/l respectively) than the rural lakes (7.65, 0.062 dSm-1, 853.1 mg/l, 9.52 mg/l, 30.0 mg/l, 9.5 mg/l, 293.8 mg/l, 15.5 mg/l, 1.07 mg/l and 88.6 respectively). It was also observed that aquatic plants in urban lakes accumulated more micro nutrients than in rural lakes. The nutrient loads (NPK) in the sediment of urban lakes was higher (344.5 Kg/ha, 30.43 Kg/ha, 136.4 Kg/ha) in summer than other seasons, while the nutrient load in general in rural lakes was relatively less (237.4 Kg/ha, 17.4 Kg/ha, 134.0 Kg/ha) as compared to mean nutrient loads of urban lakes. This indicated higher level of pollution in urban lakes compared to rural lakes.