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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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1990 - 19937
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Subject: Agricultural Engineering × End date: 1993 × Start date: 1990 ×
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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Optimum thresher parameters for high moist paddy
    (Department of Farm Power Machinery and Energy, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1993) Hamza, Mollakadavath; KAU; Sivaswami, M
    The study undertaken by the newly development 1 hp paddy thresher to optimise its parameters for high moist paddy revealed that the peripheral velocity from 10.80 to 21.72 m/s on the rasp – bar, spike tooth, double directional spiral cylinders didn’t influence much on the threshing efficiency. When the moisture content was increased to 35 per cent, the threshing efficiency was brought down from 98.4 to 92 per cent for rasp – bar cylinder and was increased from 88 per cent to 94 per cent in the case of double directional spiral cylinder. The maximum threshing efficiency of 99 percent was achieved for spike tooth cylinder at 19.2 per cent moisture level. The maximum threshing efficiency of 94% and the maximum output of 340 kg/h were achieved with the double directional spiral cylinder when the moisture content was 35% per cent. The proto – type thresher was found to reduce the cost of threshing to 81 per cent and reduction in labour to 85.16 per cent compared to the manual threshing.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Modification and performance evaluation of six row rice transplanter for conventional seedlings
    (Department of Farm Power Machinery and Energy, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1990) Bainu, T Kuzhively; KAU; Sivaswami, M
    The work was carried out at the Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur. The six – row rice transplanter was originally designed for mat type seedlings. Considering the importance of a transplanter using conventional type seedlings, the above transplanter was modified. The modifications were completed in three stages. The performance evaluation of the modified six row rice transplanter was conducted after each stage of modification. The average number of seedlings per hill could be reduced from the average value of six seedlings per hill before modification to 2.27 seedlings per hill after the modifications. The missing hills percentage was brought down from 20.83 per cent to 5.55 per cent and the floating hills percentage was reduced from 10 to 5.55. Percentage of damaged hills was reduced from 23.3 to 8.8. The field capacity of the machine was improved from 0.0139 ha/hr to 0.0162 ha/hr and field efficiency from 48.26 percent to 56.87 per cent. The use of the modified transplanter is profitable if it is operated beyond one hectare per annum. It gives a saving of Rs. 618.00 per hectare compared to the conventional hand transplanting giving a 2. 4 times reduction in total cost. The pay back period of the modified transplanter is 2.24 years when the annual utilization is 2 hectares per annum and 1.13 years when the annual utilization is 3 hectares per annum.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Design development and evaluation of a low cost paddy thresher
    (Department of Farm Power Machinery and Energy, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1991) Mathew, John; KAU; Sankaranarayanan, M R
    Though several high capacity threshers are available in the country for different crops, no thresher is found suitable for small and marginal rice farmers. Hence a low cost portable paddy thresher was developed and tested. The power operated machine consists of base, side frames, front grain shield and wire-loop cylinder. The power from the 0.5 hp motor is transmitted to the cylinder shaft by belt and pully arrangement. The optimum cylinder speed is 400 rpm. The capacity of the thresher at 14.26 per cent moisture content is 451.84 kg paddy per hour and threshing efficiency is 95.08 per cent. The mechanical damage of the grain is negligible. Two labourers are required for the whole operation. The size of the thresher is 635 x 500 x 715 mm having a gross weight of 47 kg. The cost of the thresher was worked out to be around Rs. 3600 and the cost of operation for threshing paddy was Rs. 3.00 per quintal. The unit can be fabricated by local artisans from the readily available materials and can successfully be maintained by small and marginal farmers.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development and performance evaluation of a rotary tillage attachment to the KAU garden tractor
    (Department of Farm Power Machinery and Energy, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1990) Jose, C M; KAU; Sivaswami, M
    Considering the advantages of rotary tillers over non-powered tillage tools, and in order to make the KAU garden tractor a versatile farm power unit, a rotary tillage attachment for the garden tractor was developed and tested. The main components of the rotary tillage attachment are mainframe, power transmission system, blade assembly, hitching mechanism and protective cover. The depth of tillage obtained is 10 to 15 cm and the effective width of field coverage is 30 to 32 cm. The actual field capacity of the machine is 0.054 ha per hr and the quantity of fuel required to operate the machine is 0.860 1 per hr. Operator can easily walk behind the rotary tiller and turn the garden tractor to either side. The cost of production of the rotary tillage attachment is Rs. 1500.00 and the total cost of ploughing per hectare using the machine is Rs. 450.00.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Synthetic generation of streamflow data using computer simulation model
    (Department of Land and Water Resources and Conservation Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1993) Leven , K V; KAU; Jobi V, Paul
    A Study has been made to develop a computer simulation model for the synthetic generation of streamflow data for Chaliyar, one of the larger basins of the state. The data were collected from different river gauging stations for different durations. A suitable mathematical model namely Thomas Fiering Model was developed for the generation of synthetic data. The model was fitted for the observed monthly steamflows. The validity of the model was checked by comparing the statistical parameters of historical and generated data and by comparing the flow duration curves. It is seen that the model preserves various statistical parameters like mean, standard deviation and correlation coefficient. The study reveals that the computer simulation model developed is a very effective tool in the proper management of water resources system.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development and performance evaluation of a low cost water-wheel for lifting water at low heads
    (Department of Farm Power Machinery and Energy, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1992) Jayan, P R; KAU; Sankaranarayanan, M R
    A low cost water wheel was designed, fabricated and tested in the distributory canal of KCAET farm, Tavanur. The device was operated by the stream current with no additional power source and was tested for different submergence depths varying from 0.12 to 0.25 m. Water wheel with eight cups of 30 cm x 7 cm x 2 cm intake compartment was found to be the most efficient under various operating conditions. A maximum efficiency of 48% was obtained at 0.23 m of submergence depth. The device can lift water without additional operating cost as long at the mean stream velocity is greater than or equal to 0.44 m/sec for the optimum depth of submergence at 23 cm. The corresponding discharge of the system is 19.2 lpm at 0.6 m head. The investment cost of the device is Rs. 800/- and the annual operating cost is Rs. 204/- with low maintenance cost. Though the power output and the discharge capacity were low, it has a two fold advantage of functional reliability and simplicity of design and fabrication at village level. It can successfully be utilised by the small farmers when the cultivating fields are adjuscent to the canal water courses.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Design fabrication and testing of a cashewnut decorticator
    (Department of Farm Power Machinery and Energy, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1993) Joby Bastian; KAU; Jippu Jacob
    A manually operated cashewnut decorticator is designed, developed and evaluated. The major parts are top blade assembly, and linkage assembly, 2-blade bottom assembly, and linkage assembly. The whole assembly is fixed on a work table. The steamed cashewnut is placed manually between the top and bottom blades. Upon pressing the pedal the top and bottom blades slit the two long sides of the nut. The two bottom blades are then opened wide with a cam splitting open the shell in to two halves. The kernel is released from the shell. The efficiency in decorticating is 88 per cent while the percentage of the number of kernels damaged is 12. The capacity of the machine is 900 nuts/h. The important physical properties of nuts were also studied. It is kidney shaped. Its mean size is 32.40 mm long, 24.60 mm wide and 17.60mm thick. The average kernel size is 26.00 mm long, 17.20 mm wide and 12 mm thick. The average thickness of the shell is 3.20 mm. The average weight of the nut is 7.0 g while that of the kernel is 2.1 g. considering its performance the mechanism is sound. It is recommended for further studies and modifications.