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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 Microbiology × Author: Akhila P, Subash. × Author: KAU × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2020 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Isolation and in vitro screening of silicate solubilizing bacteria from paddy rhizosphere
    (Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2020) Akhila P, Subash.; KAU; Meenakumari, K S
    The study entitled “Isolation and in vitro screening of silicate solubilizing bacteria from paddy rhizosphere”, was conducted during 2018-2020, in the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, with the objective of isolation and in vitro screening of bacteria which are capable of solubilizing insoluble form of silicate. Bacteria capable of solubilizing silicates were isolated from the rhizosphere soils collected from different upland and low land paddy fields by serial dilution and plate count method using Bunt and Rovira medium supplemented with 0.25 per cent magnesium trisilicate. Based on the clear halo zone formed around the bacterial colonies on solid media, they were identified as Silicate Solubilizing Bacteria (SSB). Twenty seven isolates of bacteria capable of solubilizing insoluble form of silicate (magnesium trisilicate) were obtained from different locations and were allotted code numbers from SSB 1 to SSB 27. These isolates were subjected to plate and broth assay in Bunt and Rovira medium supplemented with 0.25 per cent magnesium trisilicate. After three days of incubation of test plates at room temperature, all the twenty seven isolates solubilized magnesium trisilicate and produced clearing zone around the bacterial colonies on solid media. The size of clearance zone ranged from 3 mm to 13 mm in plates. The maximum clearance zone of 13 mm was recorded with the isolate SSB 14 which was significantly superior to all other isolates. In broth culture, SSB 20 showed the highest silicate solubilization of 94.65 mg L-1. Based on plate as well as broth assay of all the twenty seven isolates obtained, five isolates viz., SSB 3, SSB 14, SSB 18, SSB 20 and SSB 22 which showed the maximum clearance zone in plate and silicate solubilization in broth were selected as superior isolates. All the isolates obtained were subjected to plate and broth assay for phosphate solubilization in Pikovskaya’s medium and potassium solubilization in Aleksandrov medium. Among them, fourteen isolates showed phosphate solubilization in plates and the clearance zone ranged from 0.87 mm to 5.50 mm. The maximum clearance zone of 5.50 mm was recorded with the isolate SSB 22 which was on par with SSB 23 with 5 mm clearance zone in plate and highest solubilization of 41.92 mg L-1 in broth was shown by SSB 22 which was significantly superior to all other isolates. Twelve isolates showed potassium solubilization in plates and the clearance zone ranged from 2.25 mm to 5.50 mm. Maximum clearance zone of 5.50 mm was recorded with the isolate SSB 8 which was significantly superior to all other isolates. The highest potassium solubilization of 37.50 mg L-1 in broth was observed with isolates SSB 1, SSB 2, SSB 7, SSB 8, SSB 13, SSB 18, SSB 21 and SSB 22 which were found to be statistically on par. Acid production by the five superior SSB isolates, SSB 3, SSB 14, SSB 18, SSB 20 and SSB 22 was detected as a yellow halo around the bacterial colonies in bromophenol blue amended Bunt and Rovira medium. All the five superior isolates tested showed positive results for acid production. The antagonistic activity of the five superior SSB isolates were assessed against major pathogens of paddy viz., Rhizoctonia solani, Magnaporthe grisea, Helminthosporium oryzae and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae following dual culture method. Out of the five isolates tested, three isolates (SSB 18, SSB 20 and SSB 22) inhibited Rhizoctonia solani. Three isolates (SSB 3, SSB 18 and SSB 22) showed antagonism against Magnaporthe grisea and four isolates (SSB 3, SSB 18, SSB 20 and SSB 22) inhibited Helminthosporium oryzae. The bacterial pathogen, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae was inhibited by three isolates (SSB 18, SSB 20 and SSB 22). Among all the five isolates tested against different phytopathogens, SSB 18 was found superior with the maximum zone of inhibition of 9.65 mm, 14.45 mm, 10.80 mm and 11.50 mm against Rhizoctonia solani, Magnaporthe grisea, Helminthosporium oryzae and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae respectively. The five superior isolates were characterized based on morphological and biochemical characters. The results revealed that all the isolates were rod shaped, Gram positive endospore formers. Based on the results of present study, it can be concluded that SSB 3, SSB 14, SSB 18, SSB 20 and SSB 22 are the superior silicate solubilizing bacterial isolates. Among them, SSB 18 showed the highest antagonistic activity against major pathogens of paddy.