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Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

The history of agricultural education in Kerala can be traced back to the year 1896 when a scheme was evolved in the erstwhile Travancore State to train a few young men in scientific agriculture at the Demonstration Farm, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram, presently, the Cropping Systems Research Centre under Kerala Agricultural University. Agriculture was introduced as an optional subject in the middle school classes in the State in 1922 when an Agricultural Middle School was started at Aluva, Ernakulam District. The popularity and usefulness of this school led to the starting of similar institutions at Kottarakkara and Konni in 1928 and 1931 respectively. Agriculture was later introduced as an optional subject for Intermediate Course in 1953. In 1955, the erstwhile Government of Travancore-Cochin started the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Mannuthy, Thrissur for imparting higher education in agricultural and veterinary sciences, respectively. These institutions were brought under the direct administrative control of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Animal Husbandry, respectively. With the formation of Kerala State in 1956, these two colleges were affiliated to the University of Kerala. The post-graduate programmes leading to M.Sc. (Ag), M.V.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees were started in 1961, 1962 and 1965 respectively. On the recommendation of the Second National Education Commission (1964-66) headed by Dr. D.S. Kothari, the then Chairman of the University Grants Commission, one Agricultural University in each State was established. The State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) were established in India as an integral part of the National Agricultural Research System to give the much needed impetus to Agriculture Education and Research in the Country. As a result the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was established on 24th February 1971 by virtue of the Act 33 of 1971 and started functioning on 1st February 1972. The Kerala Agricultural University is the 15th in the series of the SAUs. In accordance with the provisions of KAU Act of 1971, the Agricultural College and Research Institute at Vellayani, and the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, were brought under the Kerala Agricultural University. In addition, twenty one agricultural and animal husbandry research stations were also transferred to the KAU for taking up research and extension programmes on various crops, animals, birds, etc. During 2011, Kerala Agricultural University was trifurcated into Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU), Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) and Kerala Agricultural University (KAU). Now the University has seven colleges (four Agriculture, one Agricultural Engineering, one Forestry, one Co-operation Banking & Management), six RARSs, seven KVKs, 15 Research Stations and 16 Research and Extension Units under the faculties of Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering and Forestry. In addition, one Academy on Climate Change Adaptation and one Institute of Agricultural Technology offering M.Sc. (Integrated) Climate Change Adaptation and Diploma in Agricultural Sciences respectively are also functioning in Kerala Agricultural University.

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Subject: Agricultural Engineering × Author: Jinu, A × End date: 2004 × Start date: 2000 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Optimization of greenhouse ventilation for humid tropics
    (Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2000) Jinu, A; KAU; Abdul Hakkim, V M
    In any agricultural sector, the need of the hour is to maximize the yield per unit area to cater the needs of our population, which is exploding at an alarming rate. Protected cultivation or controlled environment agriculture is one of the methods to increase the crop production from unit area. Of the various forms of protected cultivation, greenhouses are most common. Our state falls under humid tropical climatic condition. Greenhouse cooling is to be done during peak hours of daytime under this climatic condition. Ventilation plays an important role in green house cooling. A study was conducted to determine the optimum greenhouse ventilation for humid tropics and to analyze the effect of different cooling methods viz. natural ventilation, fan and pad system, mist system and roof shading on greenhouse cooling. The study showed that natural ventilation could reduce the greenhouse temperature to a great extent. The different percentages of ventilation used for the experiment were 13.8, 11.5, 9.2, 6.9, 4.6 and 2.3. The study was also conducted without ventilation. As percentage ventilation increases, greenhouse cooling increases and inside relative humidity decreases. 13.8 percent ventilation gave maximum greenhouse cooling and this value is taken as the optimum percentage of natural ventilation. But the natural ventilation alone cannot meet the cooling requirement during peak hours. Fan and pad system is found to be not effective for greenhouse cooling in this particular study. Even 2.3 percentage of natural ventilation condition gave better cooling than fan and pad cooling system. Misting is an effective method to lower down the greenhouse temperature within a short period of time. Misting was done along with fans at different percentages of ventilation and the different climatic parameters were studied. The results showed that while misting, the maximum cooling was obtained at 2.3 percent of ventilation. Effect of roof shading on greenhouse cooling was tested with one shade net over the greenhouse. Roof shade has a significant effect on greenhouse cooling. Th inside temperature of the greenhouse was higher than the outside temperature by more than lOoe during peak hours of the day time, when no ventilation was provided and fan and pad system, mist system and shade cover were not used. But when the green house was covered with a shade net, an inside to outside temperature difference of one or two degree was observed. Also, while operating fan and pad system and mist system, shaded condition gave better cooling. Fan and pad system operated without shade cover, could not bring down the greenhouse temperature below ambient temperature. But for the shaded condition, greenhouse temperature could be lowered to a value less than the ambient temperature. Misting under shaded condition at 2.3 percent ventilation gave maximum cooling. Misting inside an unshaded greenhouse at 2.3 percent ventilation could bring down the greenhouse temperature to 32°C, but misting inside a shaded greenhouse at 2.3 percent ventilation lowered the greenhouse temperature to 29°C. Use of two shade net layers did not give any additional cooling, and at this condition the light intensity inside the greenhouse was only 10 percent of the outside light intensity. It only increases the cost of the greenhouse and hence it is not recommended to use two shade net layers for greenhouses.