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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: Agriculture × Author: Chethankumar, S × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2019 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Dynamics of carbon stock in rice based farming systems of kari soils
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, 2019) Chethankumar, S; KAU; Devi, V S
    An investigation entitled “Soil carbon dynamics in a rice based cropping system” was carried out with the objective of assessing and comparing the soil carbon dynamics in different rice based cropping systems viz., rice-rice-maize (R- R-M), rice-rice-bhindi (R-R-B) and rice-rice-daincha (R-R-D) in a lowland riverine alluvium. The investigation was undertaken at College of Agriculture, Vellayani and Integrated Farming System Research Station (IFSRS), Karamana during 2017- 19. At IFSRS, rice based cropping sequence viz., rice (Virippu) - rice (Mundakan) - maize+ bhindi+ daincha has been practicing since 2011-12. The study was undertaken during three seasons of 2018-19 as three experiments. For experiments 1 (Virippu) and 2 (Mundakan), medium duration rice variety, Uma was cultivated. Surface soil (0-15 cm) samples were collected after each crop harvest and analyzed for soil physical, chemical and biological properties and carbon fractions. The results were compared with that of rice- rice- fallow (R- R-F) sequence. All the carbon fractions (total organic carbon [TOC], particulate organic carbon [POC] - >53 and <53 µm) except labile carbon [LC] slightly increased after Mundakan crop. On an average, TOC and POC increased by 5.9 and 5.24 per cent, respectively. There was not much variation in soil bulk density (BD), EC, available K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, B and microbial count during both the seasons. The pH slightly increased after Mundakan, with the highest value for R-R-F (5.14) and R-R-B (5.22) sequences during Virippu and Mundakan, respectively. Available N, P, Mn, Zn, Cu, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, urease and acid phosphatase) declined nominally after Mundakan season. The lowest enzyme activities were recorded in R-R-F sequence, during both the seasons. Both paddy grain and straw were analyzed for major, secondary and micronutrients. R-R-D sequence had recorded the highest grain N (1.98 per cent) content after Virippu. K content was also highest for R-R-D sequence, after both Virippu (1.09) and Mundakan (1.42) seasons. Highest P and Ca contents were obtained with R-R-M and R-R-B sequence, respectively, after both the seasons. Micronutrient content of grain and straw were almost the same in all the systems, after both Virippu and Mundakan, Economic yield was highest for R-R-B (5.21 t ha-1) and R-R-D (4.09 t ha-1) sequence after Virippu and Mundakan, respectively. During the summer season (experiment 3), field was divided into three equal parts and planted with maize (var. Co 6), bhindi (var. Manjima) and daincha (var. TN local), respectively. Daincha at 50 per cent flowering stage and maize leaves after crop harvest were incorporated into the field. Soil samples were drawn at 15 cm intervals up to 105 cm depth and analysed for major soil parameters and carbon fractions. Plant samples were analysed for major, secondary and micro nutrients. Economic and biomass yield of R-R-B and R-R-M sequence were 9.21 and 25.1 t ha-1 and 3.6 and 7.89 t ha-1, respectively. Biomass yield of R-R-D sequence was 22.5 t ha-1. The cropping systems significantly influenced soil carbon dynamics. R-R- D sequence recorded 10, 14, 13 and 22 per cent increase in TOC, LC, POC and MBC, respectively, up to 105 cm depth compared to that of R-R-F sequence at the end of cropping cycle. Enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, urease and acid phosphatase) showed significantly higher positive correlation with the carbon fractions. Among the weather parameters, atmospheric temperature (both minimum and maximum) was found to be positively correlated with soil carbon dynamics. The role of crop residue incorporation in improving soil carbon dynamics was clearly understood from the carbon management index (CMI) value, which was highest in R-R-D (120.56) followed by R-R-M (109.31), R-R-F (106.79) and R-R- B (72.81). Except BD and available Fe and Mn, all the other soil parameters showed a declining trend with soil depth. BD ranged from 1.19 to 1.62, 1.21 to 1.73, 1.17 to 1.72 and 1.2 to 1.65 g cm-3 for R-R-B, R-R-M, R-R-D and R-R-F systems, respectively. Available Fe and Mn increased upto 30 cm depth and thereafter declined. R-R-D system resulted in the highest soil available N, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, MBC, urease, acid phosphatase, TOC, LC and POC upto 30 cm depth. pH and EC increased by 9.3 and 77 per cent, respectively in R-R-M system. Available P and Ca in the surface layer declined in R-R-B and R-R-M systems compared to R-R-F. Available Fe and Mn contents were reduced in the all systems except R-R-F. The R-R-B system had the highest available Zn and Cu compared to R-R-F (8 and 13 per cent, respectively). Microbial load, enzyme activities and MBC were negligible beyond 75 cm depth. Daincha recorded the highest N (1.47) and P (1.13) content, while the highest K (1.96), Ca (0.85) and Mg (0.21 per cent) were in bhindi. The study revealed that, among the different rice based cropping systems, R-R-D system influenced soil carbon dynamics most significantly followed by R- R-M, thereby indicating the role of crop residue incorporation particularly, green manures in improving the soil carbon sequestration potential and consequently soil health.