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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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1990 - 19925
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Subject: Agriculture × Author: KAU × End date: 1992 × Start date: 1990 ×
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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Induced mutations in banana var. Nendran
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1990) Radha Devi, D S; KAU; Krishnan Nair, N
    The present investigations was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1985-88 and in the plant tissue culture Laboratory attached to the Department of Plantation Crops, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur during 1986-88. The project was taken up to standardise the techniques for induced mutagenesis in-vitro and in-vitro in banana (Musa paradiciaca L.) var. nendran and aslo to analyse the direct effect of 60 Co gamma rays on growth and bunch characters in the vM1 and vM3 generations. One, two and three months old suckers of various sizes (after removal of 25 to 75 per cent of the pseudostem) were exposed to 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 kR gamma rays. For in-vitro mutagenesis, isolated shoot tips were exposed to 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 kR gamma rays. Ex-vitro analysis of five plants per treatment per exposure was done in the vM1 generation for various growth, bunch and fruit characters.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of selections and hybrids of Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (Lin n .) Nash.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Radhakrishnan, G R; KAU; Viswanathan, T V
    Investigations on evaluation of selections and hybrids of vetiver Vetiveria zizanioides (Linn.) Nash, were undertaken using 9 cultivars of vetiver including 5 national collections, 3 hybrids and one South Indian type (ODV-3) . The observations on root characters revealed the superiority of ODV-3 in almost all root characters except root diameter. National collections had roots with maximum diameter. Hybrid 8 was also found superior in root characters. Shoot weight was the highest in ODV-3. No significant difference was observed among the different treatments with respect to shoot root ratio. National collection, in general produced highest percentage of oil per 100 g root especially NC 66415 and NC 66403 whereas ODV-3 produced the lowest percentage of oil. Hybrid 8, had maximum oil yield on per hectare basis. Studies on physico-chemical properties revealed that national collections had in general high specific gravity, refractive index and optical rotation. Oil from national collections was found laevo- rotatory whereas ODV-3 had dextro-rotatory oil. Acid value was higher in hybrids. Ester content, ester value and total vetiverol were higher in national collections. ODV-3 also had high total vetiverol. GLC studies revealed the superiority of NC 66416 with respect to oil quality. It had high vetiverol, vetiverone and low terpene content. Vetiverol was maximum in ODV-3 but had minimum vetiverone in its oil. Hybrid 8 was also found superior with maximum vetiverone content and fairly high content of vetiverol. But terpene content was higher it. Results of the experiment in pots showed that crops had better performance in pot condition with respect to almost all characters, but for oil content. . The observations on plant morphology indicated no clear- cut morphological features employable for exact identification of hybrids, North Indian and South' Indian types. However, data on root characters had shown that the South Indian types had in general long roots with maximum number and weight, than national collections. Root diameter in South Indian types was less. Performance of hybrids was better than national collections.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Variability in inter varietal hybrids and open pollinated seed progenies of black pepper ( Piper nigrum L .)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Sujatha, R; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K M
    The experiment was conducted at Pepper Research Station,Panniyur and College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 1989-90 to study the variability in F hybrids and open pollinated seed progenies of black pepper ( Piper nigrum L.). Fourty five intervarietal F hybrids and 492 open pollinated seed progenies of 1982-83 plantings maintained at the Pepper Research Station, Panniyur were included in the study. Observations on four qualitative and 21 quantitative characters were made from all the available hybrids and open pollinated seed progenies for one season. The data thus obtained were interpreted suitably, after subjecting them to appropriate statistical analyses. Considerable variation was present for both vegetative and reproductive characters in parents, F^ hybrids and open pollinated seed progenies. However, variability did not follow a uniform pattern in these three groups for the various characters. High positive correlation with yield was shown by several characters viz., green spike yield per vine, green berry yield per vine, number of spikes per vine, length of spike, developed berries per spike and thickness of orthotrope node and internode. The path analysis identified number of spikes per vine, length of spike and developed berries per spike as the most important characters influencing yield in the crop. Significant heterosis for important yield related characters viz., number of spikes per vine, length of spike and developed berries for spike was shown by certain hybrids.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic analysis in red gram (Cajanus cajan L.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1990) Achamma Oommen; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K M
    The research project "Genetic analysis in red gram" was carried out in the College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Trichur during the period 1985-90. A 5 x 5 diallel cross, excluding reciprocals conducted in red gram revealed the predominance of additive gene effect for all the characters except days to first flowering. The combining ability analysis showed PLA-550 as the best general combiner; and the F 1 of the cross UPAS-120 x I.C. 15708 to have good specific combining ability. Negative heterosis over both the parents was exhibited by UPAS-120 x I.C. 15708 and PLA-550 x PLA-600 for days to first flowering and days to maturity which showed that early maturing segregants could be obtained from these crosses. The same crosses showed relative heterosis for yield also. The analysis of generation means by using six parameter model revealed the importance of both additive and dominance gene effects in the expression of most of the characters. Additive x additive and dominance x dominance effects showed influence in the expression of the characters. Among the components of variances dominance variance was higher for most of the characters. Heritability in narrow sense was found to be low. Number of clusters per plant and number of pods per plant were highly correlated with yield in parents, F 1 's and F2's. As the yield and yield components in the present study were under all the three types of gene action viz., additive, dominance and epistasis, reciprocal recurrent selection procedure seems to be the best suited method of breeding for improvement of this crop.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on Intercroppng in Rubber Plantation with Ginger, Plantain & Gingelly in Taliparamba Taluk
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1992) Simon, P C; KAU; Naseem, P A
    The average area of a rubber grower in Kerala is less than two hectares. He will have to wait for at least six years to get income from rubber. For the full canopy development, rubber takes four years and the interspace could be utilized for intercropping with remunerative crops during the initial three years.