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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: KAU × End date: 2022 × Start date: 2022 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Exopolysaccharide producing bacteria from soil based nesting structures of insects
    (Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2022-03-14) Sruthi, Suresh; KAU; Chitra, N
    The study entitled ―Exoploysaccharide producing bacteria from soil based nesting structures of insects‖ was conducted during the year 2019-2021 in the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram with the objective to isolate and characterize exopolysaccharide producing bacteria from mud wasp and termitaria and the ability of the best two isolates in soil aggregate stability study. Thirty three bacterial isolates were obtained from different termitaria and mud dauber wasp nest. Among them colonies of fifteen isolates had slimy mucoidal appearance and were identified as exopolysaccharide producers. The exopolysaccharide production of the isolates ranged from 25.78 µg mL-1 (Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23) to 2.58 µg mL-1 . The total carbohydrate content in exopolysaccharide was maximum in bacterial isolate Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 (14.48 µg mL-1 ). The best five isolates were selected for molecular characterization by 16s rRNA sequencing and identified as Priestia aryabhattai TWP12, Priestia aryabhattai TWP13, Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23, Priestia megaterium KTM4, Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17. They were screened for phosphate, potassium and silicate solubilization. Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 showed solubilization zone for phosphate (4 mm) and potassium (1 mm). None of the isolates chosen were silicate solubilizers. Two bacterial isolates with maximum EPS production viz. Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 and Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 were selected for the further studies. Effect of carbon source and carbon: nitrogen ratio on exopolysaccharide production was studied. Glucose was found to be the best carbon source for EPS production in Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 at C: N ratio of 10:1. In Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17, highest EPS production was recorded when sucrose was used as carbon source at a C: N ratio of 50:1. The effect of temperature on EPS production of the isolates was evaluated. Increase in incubation temperature resulted in a corresponding increase in EPS production in case of Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23. The highest EPS 3 production by Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 was (23.00 µg mL-1 ) at 50oC and Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 at 30oC (31.50 µg mL-1 ). The effect of salinity on EPS production by Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 and Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 isolates was also assessed. For Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23, the EPS production was maximum without NaCl (18.0 µg mL-1 ) and for Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17, the EPS production was maximum at 6% (1 M) NaCl (26.25 µg mL-1 ). Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 and Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 were further subjected to dual culture plate assay to study the biocontrol potential of the isolates. Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 showed a clear inhibition zone on dual culture assay with Rhizoctonia solani, but Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 did not inhibit the growth of the fungus. Both Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 and Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 inhibited the growth of Helminthosporium sp. The potential of the isolates to form soil aggregates and its aggregate stability was studied. The mean weight diameter of dry aggregates obtained was highest for the soil amended with Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 (1.068 mm). The study on wet aggregate stability on water immersed revealed that the best soil aggregate stability was given by the isolate Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17. The stability of the aggregate lasted for more than 24 hours when immersed in water whereas that in the aggregate kept as control disintegrated immediately on pouring water. The effect of agitation and water immersion on the aggregate stability was also analyzed. On oscillation of the aggregates in water the aggregates in control soil showed maximum turbidity (0.254 nm). The dry weight of the disintegrated soil was minimum in the soil aggregate amended with Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 (0.014 g). Based on the results of the present study, it can be concluded that among the selected isolates Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 had maximum production of EPS. Both Klebsiella pneumoniae KWP23 and Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 has biocontrol potential against plant pathogenic fungi. Paenibacillus polymyxa KTM17 is a potential isolate which can effect soil aggregate stability in dry and wet condition.