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Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat

Assam Agricultural University is the first institution of its kind in the whole of North-Eastern Region of India. The main goal of this institution is to produce globally competitive human resources in farm sectorand to carry out research in both conventional and frontier areas for production optimization as well as to disseminate the generated technologies as public good for benefitting the food growers/produces and traders involved in the sector while emphasizing on sustainability, equity and overall food security at household level. Genesis of AAU - The embryo of the agricultural research in the state of Assam was formed as early as 1897 with the establishment of the Upper Shillong Experimental Farm (now in Meghalaya) just after about a decade of creation of the agricultural department in 1882. However, the seeds of agricultural research in today’s Assam were sown in the dawn of the twentieth century with the establishment of two Rice Experimental Stations, one at Karimganj in Barak valley in 1913 and the other at Titabor in Brahmaputra valley in 1923. Subsequent to these research stations, a number of research stations were established to conduct research on important crops, more specifically, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. The Assam Agricultural University was established on April 1, 1969 under The Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968’ with the mandate of imparting farm education, conduct research in agriculture and allied sciences and to effectively disseminate technologies so generated. Before establishment of the University, there were altogether 17 research schemes/projects in the state under the Department of Agriculture. By July 1973, all the research projects and 10 experimental farms were transferred by the Government of Assam to the AAU which already inherited the College of Agriculture and its farm at Barbheta, Jorhat and College of Veterinary Sciences at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, College of Community Science at Jorhat (1969), College of Fisheries at Raha (1988), Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali (1988) and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur (1988) were established. Presently, the University has three more colleges under its jurisdiction, viz., Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Chapar, College of Horticulture, Nalbari & College of Sericulture, Titabar. Similarly, few more regional research stations at Shillongani, Diphu, Gossaigaon, Lakhimpur; and commodity research stations at Kahikuchi, Buralikson, Tinsukia, Kharua, Burnihat and Mandira were added to generate location and crop specific agricultural production packages.

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20171
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Subject: Crop Physiology × Author: Khwairakpam, Rowndel × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2013 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    TAPPING OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN RICE ECOSYSTEM THROUGH AZOLLA CULTIVATION
    (AAU, Jorhat, 2017-07) Khwairakpam, Rowndel; Das, Ranjan
    The present investigation was carried out in the stress physiology laboratory under fully automated bioreactor where tapping of CO2 and external injection regulation CO2 facility were available. To understand the assimilation and N accumulation in Azolla-Rice ecosystem in response elevated CO2 possible interactions of CO2 and Azolla on the growth and yield of rice investigation was conducted during the kharif season of 2014 and 2015.The studies revealed that there was variable response of photosynthetic parameters which lead to impact on carbon sequestration potential as well as change in O2 evolution under varying levels of CO2 environment under rice-Azolla ecosystem. In case of fluorescence and related parameters, there was deviation from the normal range as the CO2 concentration increased, however these deviations were minimized in presence of Azolla. These were also same in case of ETR, NPQ, PQ, ф PSII etc. Photosynthetic and its related parameters viz. gs, Ci, T, etc. were found to be related to stomatal density and size. These factors ultimately affected plant growth which was translated as yield. Elevated (500 ppm) CO2 with Azolla has a greater potential for C sequestration, while soil organic carbon enhancement helped increase crop productivity and sustainability which was evident from higher yield and yield attributing parameters. Soil microbial population with higher C: N ratio was recorded under elevated CO2 with rice-Azolla ecosystem. There have been increasing concerns regarding the role of soil microbial population in biological stabilization of SOC in agricultural soils because change in the soil microbial population within rhizo-spheres with changes in organic matter input. Significant reduction of NPK was recorded due to elevated CO2, however; reduction rate was variable with Azolla when compared with without Azolla and ambient. Conversion of inorganic nitrogen was significantly reduced in elevated CO2 however there was amelioration affect under 500 ppm CO2 with Azolla due to significant increase in key enzymes such NR, NiR and GS syntheses activity. CO2 enrichment decreased the N concentration in rice without any change in the C content, leading to an increase in C:N ratio However variability among systems also recorded. This study: (1) depicts the changes in microbial population and fungal predominance; (2) infers a biological stabilizing mechanism behind the C sequestration which includes physical-chemical stabilization as the major controlling processes leading to variation of yield. Azolla has enormous potential to sequester of atmospheric CO2 due to its rapid growth in freshwater without the need for a soil-based nitrogen source. Azolla is a novel opportunity to expand and diversify the supply of fertilizers and production of rice fields vis a vis tapping the CO2 and enhancing the O2 evolution system under changed environmental conditions.