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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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20112
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Subject: Agricultural Entomology × End date: 2011 × Start date: 2011 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Bioefficacy and safety evaluation of biorational insecticides for the management of sucking pest complex of chilli (capsicum annuum L. )
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2011) Thania, Sara Varghese; KAU; Thomas, Biju Mathew
    The efficacy and safety of biorational insecticides used for the management of sucking pest complex of chilli, viz. mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks), thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) and aphids (Aphis gossypii Glover) were tested in laboratory and field conditions. The efficacy of eight new generation insecticides viz., spinosad 75 g a.i. ha-1, spiromesifen 100 g a.i. ha-1 , spirotetramat 60 g a.i. ha-1 , indoxacarb 60 g a.i. ha-1 , imidacloprid 20 g a.i. ha-1, thiamethoxam 40 g a.i. ha-1 , flubendiamide 60 g a.i. ha-1 and acetamiprid 20 g a.i. ha-1 was assessed in comparison with propargite 570 g a.i ha-1 and dimethoate 300 g a.i ha-1 as acaricidal and insecticide check, against three sucking pests of chilli viz, mites, thrips and aphids under laboratory conditions. Based on the laboratory evaluation, acetamiprid, spiromesifen, propargite, spinosad and dimethoate were very effective against chilli mite whereas 100 percent mortality of chilli thrips was obtained in spinosad, spiromesifen, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, propargite and dimethoate in leaf disc method. The neonicotinoid insecticides viz, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and other insecticides viz, spiromesifen and dimethoate were found effective against chilli aphids. Spiromesifen was found as the safest insecticide to coccinellid and hemerobid grubs. Flubendiamide, spirotetramat and indoxacarb were also found safe to coccinellid grubs and hemerobid grubs, but they were not effective against the pest complex of chilli. Dimethoate was found toxic to coccinellid and hemerobid grubs. Among the neonicotinoid insecticides, acetamiprid and thiamethoxam were safer than imidacloprid. In the safety evaluation against the predatory mite Amblyseius spp, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, spiromesifen and spirotetramat were safer than other insecticides. In the pot culture study, significantly lower population of chilli mites were recorded in spiromesifen, propargite, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam and dimethoate sprayed chilli plants. Chilli thrips were not recorded in acetamiprid sprayed chilli plants upto seven days after spraying. When the damage caused due to the feeding injury of mites and thrips were indexed, (Leaf curl Index) lower indices were recorded in spiromesifen and propargite sprayed chilli plants. Among the different chemicals evaluated in field viz, spiromesifen, imidacloprid, acetamiprid thiamethoxam, propargite and dimethoate, ethion and oxy demeton methyl, the mite population was significantly lower in propargite, spiromesifen and acetamiprid treated plots. Acetamiprid treated plots recorded the lowest thrips population and lowest average leaf curl index (LCI) was recorded in spiromesifen and propargite treated plants. Spiromesifen and propargite treated plots harboured maximum numbers of natural enemies, where as among the neonicotinoids, acetamiprid and thiamethoxam were comparatively safer than imidacloprid. The yield of chilli was more in spiromesifen treated plants followed by acetamiprid sprayed chilli plants. Considering the waiting period of different insecticides worked out in the present investigation, acetamiprid is having the shortest waiting period of 3.51 days and it is the only insecticide which fits well in to the harvest interval of chilli fruits, whereas the conventional insectides like ethion and dimethoate recorded the maximum waiting period of 27.89 and 13.63 days, respectively. The half-life of acetamiprid, ethion and dimethoate were 2.27, 3.43 and 1.94 days respectively. The insecticide spiromesifen, sprayed on chilli fruits had a waiting period of 7.03 days to reach below the MRL of 0.5 ppm and the time taken for half of the spiromesifen to degrade was 1.71 days. Imidacloprid sprayed on chilli fruits took 2.08 days to degrade its residues to half of the initial deposit and the waiting period was fixed as 6.8 days. Propargite had a waiting period of 5.7 days on chilli fruits and the half life was calculated as 0.63 days. The insecticides selected to study the effect of different processing techniques in removing the insecticide residues on chilli fruits harvested at two hours after spraying and at five days after spraying were spiromesifen, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, propargite, ethion and dimethoate. In the case of spiromesifen, maximum residue removal (90.03%) occurred when the fruits were dipped in tamarind 2% solution followed by washing in water. For imidacloprid, all the treatments were very effective in removing residues, more than eighty percent of the residues were removed in all the treatments which justify its high polarity and the maximum removal was recorded when the fruits were dipped in 2% solution of tamarind (96.83%) followed by washing in water. In the case of acetamiprid, mere water wash removed 97.69% of the residues where as in the case of propargite, maximum removal of residues was obtained by dipping in 2% solution of tamarind (96.69%) for twenty minutes followed by washing in water. The extent of residue removal in the OP insecticides viz, ethion and dimethoate was less when compared to other new generation insecticides. In the case of ethion sprayed chilli fruits, maximum residues were removed when the fruits were dipped in 2% solution of lemon juice (83.13%) followed by washing in water. For dimethoate sprayed chilli fruits, maximum removal of residues occurred when the fruits were dipped in 2% solution of tamarind (53.98%). Out of six insecticides studied, dipping insecticide treated chilli fruits in 2% tamarind solution for twenty minutes followed by washing in water removed maximum amount of residues in the case of spiromesifen, imidacloprid, propargite and dimethoate. In the case of ethion also, tamarind treatment removed fairly good amount (60.88%) of residues. Owing to this majority, tamarind can be recommended as a good option for removing insecticide residues from fruits and vegetables.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Bioefficacy and safety evaluation of biorational insecticides for the management of sucking pest complex of chilli (capsicum annuum L. )
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2011) Thania Sara Varghese; KAU; Thomas Biju Mathew