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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 Entomology × Author: Ajith, P P × Author: KAU × End date: 1999 × Start date: 1990 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Biology and Population Build up of the Rice Whitebacked Planthopper, Sogatella furcifera (Horvath) on Different Rice Varieties
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1990) Ajith, P P; KAU; Madhavan Nair, G
    Investigations were carried out in the College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1988 to identify cultivars resistant to the white backed planthopper, S. furcifera from among the high yielding rice varities commonly cultivated in Kerala. The rice cultivars Cul 126, Cul 93, Ptb 33, Karthika, Pavizham, Jyothi, Triveni and TN-1 were chosen for preliminary screening by seed box screening, free-choice and no-choice tests and by tests on orientation and settling response and population build up. In the seed box screening and free choice and no choice tests, the cultivar Cul 126 recorded the lowest damage and the cultivar TN-1 showed the highest damage, indicating resistance in the former and susceptibility in the latter. The cultivar Jyothi did not differ from Cul 126 and the cultivars Cul 93, Ptb 33, Pavizham and Karthika showed intermediate levels of resistance. In the orientation and settling response test the highest number of S. furcifera nymphs were seen settled on TN-1, where as it was the lowest on Cul 126 and it was followed by Jyothi, indicating a clear preference to the susceptible TN-1. The insect multiplied faster and in greater number on TN-1 and the total count was about thirty times more on TN-1 as compared to that on Cul 126 at 60 days after release. Based on the results of the preliminary screening trials, the cultivar Cul 126 and Jyothi (resistant), Pavizham and Karthika (moderately resistant) and TN-1 (susceptible check) were selected for studying the mechanisms of resistance. In the experiment to study the ovipositional preference of the insects it was found that the susceptible TN – 1 and the resistant Cul 126 received the highest and lowest number of eggs respectively. It was also revealed that the leaf sheath received more eggs than the leaf blade. The antibiosis factor in the cultivars was investigated in terms of nymphal duration, nymphal survival, sex ratio of emerging adults, adult longevity, fecundity and hatching percentage of eggs in three growth stages of plants, namely, seedling, tillering and booting stages. The insects from the susceptible TN – 1 had the shortest nymphal duration and the longest adult longevity. The percentage of nymphal survival, fecundity and female/male ratio of the emerging adults were also the highest on TN -1. However, the insects from Cul 126, and Jyothi had longer nymphal duration and shorter adult longevity. The survival, fecundity and female/male ratio of the emerging adults from these cultivars were also lower as compared to TN – 1. The results were uniform in all the three growth stages of the crop. No difference could be observed in the hatching percentage of eggs in the test cultivars in the seedling stage, but in the tillering and booting stages the eggs on TN – 1 showed higher hatching percentage. The results indicated the presence of antibiosis factor in the resistant cultivars, Cul 126 and Jyothi. These results were further confirmed in the experiment on the feeding rate of the insect on the test cultivars. Insects on TN-1 produced the largest area of honey dew spots as compared to others in all the three growth stages showing significantly higher feeding rates. The feeding rate in Cul 126 was the lowest. The effect of crowing of first instar nymphs was more pronounced on the insects on TN-1. The survival percentage was the maximum in crowing at the rate of 25 and it dwindled substantially in the susceptible and resistant cultivars alike in crowding at the rate of 100. Crowding did not have any effect on the sex ratio and brachyptery of emerging adults. When S. furcifera and N. lugens were released together in different proportions, the latter surpassed the former in total number in all the cultivars when counts were taken at 60 days after release of the insects. The result indicated that in cultivars resistant or susceptible to both the insects, N. lugens established a numerical superiority over S. furcifera. In studies to identify the wet land weeds which serve as alternate hosts to S. furcifera, it was found that the insects oviposited in none of the weed plants tested. The nymphs could survive only on Echinochloa colona and Panicum repens.