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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 Meteorology × Author: Aswini Haridasan × Author: KAU × End date: 2016 × Start date: 2011 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Crop weather relationship of yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis(L.) walp)
    (Department of Agricultural Meteorology Vellanikkara, 2016) Aswini Haridasan; KAU; Ajithkumar, B
    Yard long bean is an important leguminous vegetable crop cultivated in Kerala. It is a highly relished vegetable crop which can be cultivated throughout the year. However, weather and climate are considered to be the most limiting factors in crop production. Since weather conditions experienced by a crop play a major role in its growth and yield, the study of the influence of weather on crop is very much important. The present investigation on “Crop weather relationship of Yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Walp) was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Meteorology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 2013-2014 to determine the crop weather relationship and to study the effect of date of sowing on the growth and yield of yard long bean. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications at Instructional farm, Vellanikkara from September 2013 to August 2014. The treatment comprises of twelve dates of sowing at monthly intervals from September 2013 to August 2014. Yard long bean variety lola was used for the experiment. The different growth and yield characters like plant height, biomass, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, hundred seed weight, length of pod, pod yield per plot, pod yield per plant and duration of different growth phases were recorded along with monitoring of major pests and diseases. The daily weather parameters like maximum and minimum temperature, forenoon and afternoon relative humidity, forenoon and afternoon vapour pressure, rainfall and rainy days, bright sunshine hours, evaporation, wind speed and soil temperature were also recorded. The maximum temperature was found highest in February 2014 sowing and was recorded lowest in July 2014 sowing whereas the highest minimum temperature was recorded in March and April 2014 sowing. The crops sown during December 2013 and January 2014 received no rainfall and those sown during June 2014 received the maximum rainfall. The bright sunshine hours was recorded more in December 2013 sowing and was low in June 2014 sowing. Plant height, biomass, phenological stages, yield and yield attributes were highly variable among the different sowing dates. The March 2014 sown crops took more number of days to attain 50% flowering followed by February 2014 sown crops. The crop duration was also observed more for March sown crops which was on par with December 2014 sown crops. Yield and yield attributes were influenced by various weather parameters experienced during the different crop growth stages. Pod yield was highest from September and October 2013 sown crops and lowest from May and July 2014 sown crops. Yield attributes such as number of pods per plant, number of seeds, length of pods and hundred seed weight were also recorded more in September and October 2014 sown crops. Pests such as aphids, pod borer, pod bug and diseases such as mosaic, rust and anthracnose were observed in the crop during the study. To determine the critical weather elements affecting the crop growth, correlation analysis was done and it was found that maximum temperature, diurnal temperature range, soil temperature at 10cm depth, wind speed and bright sunshine hours exhibited positive influence on the pod yield, whereas increase in minimum temperature, growing degree days, relative humidity, vapour pressure, rainfall and rainy days negatively influenced the yield. Multiple linear regression models were fitted, to predict the pod yield based on the weather variables..