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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 Statistics and Informatics × Author: Jesma, V A × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2019 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Optimisation techniques in long term fertilizer trials: rice-rice system
    (Department of Agricultural Statistics , College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2019) Jesma, V A; KAU; Ajitha, T K
    The present study titled “Optimization techniques in long term fertilizer trails: rice-rice system” was carried out using the experimental data from AICRP on Long Term Fertilizer Experiments(LTFE) in rice at RARS, Pattambi for a period from 1997-2017 with the objectives to study the effect of weather factors and plant nutrients on crop production, to study the dynamics of soil characters in relation to fertilizer treatment and to suggest appropriate statistical optimization tools with respect to yield and its forecast. A significant upward linear trend was observed in annual average yield of Aiswarya variety of rice in kharif season (Virippu) while in rabi season (Mundakan)it was not so pronounced. Highest grain yield was obtained under T8 (100 percent NPK + FYM @ 5t/ha to the kharif rice) followed by T10(100 percent NPK + in situ growing of Sesbania aculeata, as green manure crop for kharif rice only) and T9 (50 percent NPK + FYM @ 5t/ha to the kharif rice only) in both the seasons. The most consistent treatment in kharif season was T7 (100 per cent N) whereas in rabi season it was T8. Exploratory data analysis through box plot revealed that grain yield in rabi season was higher and more consistent when compared to that of kharif season. Comparative performance of different treatments in both seasons exposed that grain yield response under T7 was significantly different at 1 per cent level in the two seasons owing to the fact that it was the most imbalanced treatment susceptible to even minute changes of weather variables and other factors. The post hoc test effected for analysis of variance performed for each of the experiments during both the seasons using DMRT revealed that superior treatment in all the experiments was T8. Analysis of groups of experiments also showed superiority of treatment T8 followed by T10 in both the seasons. The minute changes due to time variable were studied by splitting the whole period of study into three subperiods. It was found that in kharif season the treatments, years and their interaction effects were significant in all the three periods. During rabi season, the treatments and year interaction was absent for the first period. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed that86 per cent and 59 per cent of the variability in grain yield during kharif and rabi season respectively was explained by the time variable, when all the other variables were fixed. Correlation analysis showed that in kharif season, significant positive effect was there for maximum temperature in the early stages of crop growth while sunshine hours and minimum temperature in early as well as later stages had significant positive influence on crop yield. Wind velocity and rainfall in early and later stages had negative impact on treatment responses. During rabi season, maximum temperature in the later stages had significant positive impact on treatment responses. Minimum temperature in early stages affected the crop yield negatively. Relative humidity in early and later stages had significant negative correlation with crop yield. Wind velocity had significant positive correlation with crop yield but towards flowering stage it had negative effect. Rainfall and number of rainy days during early vegetative stage had negatively affected treatment responses. The influence of plant nutrients viz., N,P and K uptake on crop yield was quantified using a quadratic model. Studies on dynamics of soil organic carbon during kharif season showed a sharp decline during the initial years. Similarly, in rabi season there was decline but was less steep when compared to kharif season. The soil pH showed a decline towards the end of experimental period during kharif season whereas in rabi season it was stabilized towards the end. Time variable explained 66 per cent and 82 per cent of the variability in available P in kharif and rabi seasons respectively. In both the seasons, 94 per cent of the variability in available K in soil could be explained by the time variable. Linear regression models using weather variables were found to give a reasonable fit for treatment responses during kharif season. The predictability of linear regression models could be improved using principal components as regressors in rabi season. Response curves were fitted using linear, quadratic and cubic models to forecast crop yield taking time as the predictor. For kharif season, cubic function was found to be a best fit to the treatment responses as they could capture fluctuating growth patterns over time.Compiling the results from aforesaid analyses, the optimal fertilizer treatment for rice was T8 (100 percent NPK + FYM @5t/ha to the kharif rice) followed by T10(100 percent NPK + in situ growing of Sesbania aculeata, as green manure crop for kharif rice only). Significant treatment x year interaction could be exposed through split plot analysis and the percentage variability in crop yield over the entire period of study was better quantified using repeated measures analysis. For kharif season, the linear regression models taking significant weather variables at different crop growth stages and response curves using time as the predictor provided reasonable fit to the yield data. For rabi season, linear regression models with principal components of weather variables as regressors gave better predictability.