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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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20162
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Subject: Agricultural Entomology × Author: KAU × Author: Nesmi, Abdul Khader T K × End date: 2020 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Diversity of leafhopper fauna in rice and vegetable ecosystems
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology,College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2016) Nesmi, Abdul Khader T K; KAU; Maicykutty, P Mathew
    Leafhoppers are one of the important groups of insect pests on agricultural crops. Vegetables and rice crop are subjected to infestation by a number of leafhopper species, leading to heavy economic loss. These leafhoppers suck sap from crops and inject toxic saliva into plant tissues resulting in hopper burn symptoms. They also cause damage when they oviposit into plant tissues. Some species act as vectors of plant pathogens viz., viruses, phytoplasmas, spiroplasmas and bacteria Eg. rice green leafhoppers. Nielson (1985) reported 151 species of leafhoppers as vectors of plant diseases and nearly 70 per cent of insect species transmitting plant disease agents are leafhoppers. The present study on “Diversity of leafhopper fauna associated with rice and vegetable ecosystems” was undertaken at Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 2014-16 with the objectives to document the diversity of leafhoppers in rice and vegetable ecosystems in Thrissur district and to develop a dichotomous taxonomic key for their identification.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Diversity of leaf hopper fauna in rice and vegetable ecosystems
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikara, 2016) Nesmi, Abdul Khader T K; KAU; Maicykutty, P Mathew
    Leafhoppers are one of the important groups of insect pests on agricultural crops. Vegetables and rice crop are subjected to infestation by a number of leafhopper species, leading to heavy economic loss. These leafhoppers suck sap from crops and inject toxic saliva into plant tissues resulting in hopper burn symptoms. They also cause damage when they oviposit into plant tissues. Some species act as vectors of plant pathogens viz., viruses, phytoplasmas, spiroplasmas and bacteria Eg. rice green leafhoppers. Nielson (1985) reported 151 species of leafhoppers as vectors of plant diseases and nearly 70 per cent of insect species transmitting plant disease agents are leafhoppers. The present study on “Diversity of leafhopper fauna associated with rice and vegetable ecosystems” was undertaken at Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 2014-16 with the objectives to document the diversity of leafhoppers in rice and vegetable ecosystems in Thrissur district and to develop a dichotomous taxonomic key for their identification. Purposive surveys were carried out in the Kole lands of Thrissur district and Paddy fields of Vadakkanchery for collecting leafhoppers in rice ecosystem. Leafhoppers were collected from vegetable crops like brinjal, bitter gourd, ash gourd, cowpea, lab lab bean and okra, in major vegetable growing tracts of Thrissur district. Leafhoppers collected from field were sorted out into different groups based on the morphological characters and mounted on card points using insect gum. Wings and genitalia were dissected out and studied. Drawings were made using camera lucida attached to research microscope (Olympus BX 51, 100x). Photographs were taken using stereomicroscope with digital camera attached (binocular stereo zoom microscope- Leica EZ4 HD, 35x). Based on the characters studied and species identified, a dichotomous taxonomic key was prepared for the identification of leafhopper species associated with rice and vegetable ecosystems. A total of 17 species of leafhoppers were collected from rice and vegetable ecosystems belonging to three subfamilies, eight tribes and 12 genera. One species belonging to tribe Erythroneurini of subfamily Typhlocybinae could not be identified. Nine species of leafhoppers belonging to two sub families, viz, Cicadellinae (Tribe: Cicadellini- two species) and Deltocephalinae (Chiasmini- three species, Deltocephalini- one species, Hecalini- two species and Stenometopiini- one species) were collected from rice ecosystem. Seven species of leafhoppers were collected from rice plants viz, Cofana spectra (Distant), C. lineata (Distant), Nephotettix nigropictus (Stal), N. virescens (Distant), Exitianus indicus (Distant), Maiestas dorsalis (Motschulsky) and Hecalus porrectus (Walker). Another two species, viz., H. lutescens (Distant) and an unidentified species of leafhopper in the genus Doratulina were collected from the weed Eragrostis tenella Linn. associated with rice ecosystem. Occurrence of Hecalus lutescens (Distant) is a new record for Kerala. Cofana lineata and Hecalus porrectus are new records on rice in Kerala. The survey on leafhopper fauna associated with vegetable ecosystem revealed the presence of eight species belonging to three sub families, Cicadellinae (Tribe Cicadellini- one species), Deltocephalinae (Tribe Opsiini- one species) and Typhlocybinae (Tribe- Empoascini-three species, Tribe- Erythroneurini- three species). These leafhoppers were found associated with six major vegetable crops. Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida) on brinjal and okra, Empoasca (Empoasca) kerri Pruthi on cowpea, E. (E.) motti Pruthi on bitter gourd, Seriana jaina (Distant) on cowpea, Tautoneura (Tautoneura) mayarami Mathew and Ramakrishnan on lab lab bean, Kolla ceylonica (Melichar) on brinjal, okra and cowpea, Hishimonus phycitis (Distant) on brinjal and an erythroneurine species (unidentified) on brinjal and ash gourd. Infestation of K. ceylonica (Melichar) on brinjal, okra and cowpea is a new record for Kerala. Mathew (2004) had listed 154 species of leafhoppers from Kerala. Present study added two more species. Considering the rich flora of Kerala, this number is meagre. Hence detailed survey on all agro climatic zones is required to enrich the database on leafhopper fauna of Kerala.