Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

1990 - 19912
Reset filters
Subject: Agricultural Entomology × End date: 1994 × Start date: 1990 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Resurgence potential of the rice leaf folder. Cnaphalocrocis.medinalis Guen. as influenced by the soil application of carbofuran granules
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology , College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Baby, P Skaria; KAU; Abraham, C C
    In investigations on the changes taking place in the extent of feeding, growth and development of the rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guen. on rice plants receiving soil application of carbofuran granules at 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 kg ai/ha/application at 20, 50 and 20 and 50 days after transplanting, the extent of larval feeding on leaves did not show any variations as a result of carbofuran treatments. In the third, fourth and fifth larval instars and pupae, carbofuran treatments led to their weight gain due to possible enhancement of the digestibility and more effective conversion of ingested food into body matter, under .influence of factors mediated by the metabolites of carbofuran in leaf tissues. In respect of mean larval and pupal mortality, the insecticidal treatments did not show any impact, but the metabolites showed a negative correlation with the mortality levels thereby indicating the favourable influence of the metabolites on the development of C. medinalis. There was improvement in female emergence as a result of treatment with 1.00 kg ai/ha of carbofuran applied at 20 as well as 50 DAT as compared to untreated control, but the sex-ratio variations as a result of treatments were not pronounced. The first instar larval emergence (F1 generation) showed a positive influence by different metabolites of carbofuran. Carbofuran treated plants showed distinctly positive orientational stimulus to C. medinalis adults due to positive olfactory stimuli probably due to emission of vapour-phase admixture of carbofuran metabolites, but there was no improvement in fecundity under such treatments. There was distinct improvement in progeny production from females developing from carbofuran treated rice plants. This is mainly due to the ingress of more female moths and the resultant increase in overall ovipositional output rather than increase in fecundity'. Carbofuran treatments caused increase in the density of leaf hairs in a dose-dependent manner, but such variations were not significant as compared to untreated control. The positive relationship between ovipositional preference on the one hand and leaf hair density of treated plants .on the other brings to focus the role of tactile stimuli provided by leaf hairs in the acceptance of host plants for oviposition. The residues and metabolites of carbofuran in leaves favourably influenced most of the growth and developmental attributes of the rice leaf folder. None of the plant biochemicals showed any changes under influence of carbofuran treatments.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Distribution of spindle bug of Arecanut, Carvaholia arecae Miller and China in Kerala.Its broecology, suspected role as the vector of yellow leaf disease and control
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1990) Stanley, Jacob A; KAU; Mohan, Das N
    A state wide survey was conducted in Kerala during 1988 with a view to ascertaining the distribution and severity of incidence of C. arecae and yellow leaf disease on arecanut. The pest enjoyed a state wide distribution while the disease was present only in 40 per cent of the locations covered in the survey. Based on the percentage of the infested palms and on adult popula tion of the insect, the southern zone was found as most affected and the nymphal population was more in the northern zone. Based on total population northern and southern zone came on par. The leaf injury caused by the bug was higher in the northern zone and other zones came on par and less effected. Thus on different criteria the severity of the pest infestation in different agroclimatic zone did not show consistency .Vadakkanchery and Palghat in the middle zone were identified for the first time as the only pest free locations in Kerala. In southern zone, Pandianpara, Kattakkada and Ettiruthi had high pest incidence while at Theviyode, Vithura and palode the infestations were found comparatively lower. A consecutive monthly monitoring of the populations in five of the above locations during 1987-89 revealed that places found less affected in the single state wide survey were seen badly affected and vice versa in repeated assessment. In the problem zone Moncompu, Vytilla and Chengannur were much more affected than Karthikaplly, Kumarakom and Karunagapally. In the middle zone, Alwaye, Pattikkad and Peechy were more affected than Vadakkanchery, Palghat and Mukundapuram. In the hill zone Peringamala, Vythiri and Ernadu had much higher population than Vaduvanchal and Kottapady. In northern zone Calicut, Taliparamba, Madhur and Koipady were more infested than Kumbla, Tellichery and Koothuparamba. Since repeated survey over two years reversed the relative position of the locations based on single survey, the latter did not appear conclusive thus suggesting the need for resorting to control measures throughout the state for tackling the pest problem. A new spot of high incidence of yellow leaf disease in north Kerala was detected at Irrikkur near Cannanore. Incidence of C.arecae and yellow leaf disease did not show any association in different agroclimatic zones in Kerala or among different locations within each zone. Continuous monitoring of the population over 24months revealed that the occurrence of immature stages and adults overlapped, indicating continuous breeding of the pest. Period of high/low incidence of pest could not be identified consistently. The occurrence of the symptoms of yellow leaf disease did not coincide with the levels of fluctuating pest population. Maximum temperature and minimum relative humidity showed negative and positive correlation with the pest population respectively. C.arecae fed and multiplied on its alternate hosts A. triandra, C. lutescens and pinanga sp.as favourable as on A catechu. E.guineensis also was found a suitable host since the immature and adult stages of the pest on the host showed more favourable attributes when compared to those on A. catechu. The feeding behavior of the insect relating to the ‘plant surface exploration ‘,’exploratory probes ‘ and ‘imbibing food ‘ agreed with the behavior of other ‘Cimico-morphs’ described by earlier workers. The feeding suppressed the emergence of spindle leaf partly or fully depending on the period of the damage. Total suppression of spindle leaf emergence even choked further growth of the palm. Injury caused by oviposition was observed in detail for the first time .Characteristic ‘pot marks’ made on the rachis of the leaf and the internal damage also were noted in detail for the first time. Histological observations of the leaf along the feeding marks showed that the bug resorted to ‘lacerate and flush’ feeding .Formation of water soaked areas soon after stylet insertion , continuance of plasmolysis after the removal of the insect from the feeding spot and later discolourations and collapse of cells indicated that the action of the saliva would have caused the injury . Histochemical studies of the injured leaf lamina showed accumulation of proteins and lipids in the portion . The above host reactions were detected for the first time . A new technique of warding off C. arecae from the crown of areca palms by keeping phorate /carbofuran granules in perforated polythene sachets , at the leaf axil, was developed and standardized . The technique was evaluated at field level in comparison with the recommended methods of spraying insecticides on the crown or keeping granules directly in leaf axils. On the basis of cost and bioefficacy, the new technique was found far superior to the recommended practices. Salivary glands of C.arecae , exposed on yellow leaf disease affected palms for 20 to 33 days (ensuring acquisi-tion and incubation periods for MLO), were excised , processed , stained and examined under electron microscope for locating mycoplasma like organisms in the acini of the anterior, posterior and lateral lobes, if any . The haemolymph drawn from such insects also was examined under electron microscope . MLOs were absent in all the preparations. This finding in conjunction with the absence of correlations between the pest population and disease incidence ruled out the possibility of the insect being a vector of the disease.