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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: Elsy, C R × Author: KAU × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1985 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pollination studies in cashew
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1985) Elsy, C R; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K M
    Investigation on the various aspects of pollination viz., flower opening, fruit set and fruit drop under natural pollination and assisted pollination, effect of pollinating agents and intensity of pollen in the atmosphere were undertaken at the Cashew Research station, Madakkathara and Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 1983-84, on six year old BLA-139/1 trees (air layers) under uniform cultural and manurial conditions. The data were subjected to various statistical analysis. The results have shown that the period of flower opening in both male and hermaphrodite flowers was same, starting after 23 hr and extending upto 15 hr next day. The peak period of flower opening for male flowers was between 7 and 9 hr and for hermaphrodite flowers between 9 and 11 hr. Climatic factors such as temperature, sunshine hours, relative humidity and wind velocity have not shown any significant influence on the magnitude of flower opening. Type BLA-139/1 has a relatively low sex-ratio of 1: 2. 83 resulting a higher percentage of hermaphrodite flowers. There is variation in sex-ratio even within the panicles of the same tree. When compared to natural pollination, assisted pollination resulted in significantly higher initial fruit set indicating the inefficiency or inadequacy of pollinating agents. But the higher initial fruit set was not fully reflected in the percentage of fruits harvested since a major portion of the set fruits dropped at different stages of development. In both cases of natural and hand pollination, fruit droop was more in early stages of nut development. This necessitates the need for improving the initial fruit set and more over reducing post fertilization drop for higher yields in cashew. In completely bagged panicles no fruit was set, confirming the cross pollinated nature of cashew. The failure of fruit set in water sprayed panicles rules out the possibility of water as a pollinating agent. Wind plays a significant role in cashew pollination along with insects like red and black ants, honey bees and butterflies which frequently visit cashew inflorescence. The intensity of pollen grains on the atmosphere was 20 times higher than that of hermaphrodite flowers in a unit area.