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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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1975 - 198011
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Subject: Agriculture × End date: 1980 × Start date: 1975 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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Now showing 1 - 9 of 11
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Estimation of genetic parameters in green gram (Phaseolus aureus Roxb.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1980) Presanna Kumari, K T; KAU; Mary, K George
    Biometric studies on fifteen divergent green gram varieties (Phaseolus aurreus Roxb. syn. Vigna radiata (L.) wilzeck.) was conducted at the College of Agriculture , Vellayani , during November- January, 1979-80, to estimate the important genetic parameters like mean, range, genotypic and phenotypic coefficientsof variation , heritability, genetic advance and genetic gain and to find out the direct and indirect contributions of various component characters on yield by path coefficient analysis. There were significant differences among the varieties for all characters studied. Genotypic coefficient of variation was maximum for number of branches per plant followed by 100 seed weight and minimum for days to 50 per cent flowering . High heritability estimates were observed for pod length , 100 seed weight, plant height, number of seeds per pod days to 50 per cent flowering and number of pods per plant. Genetic gain was maximum for number of branches per plant followedby 100 seed weight and minimum for days to 50 per cent flowering. The number of branches per plant 100 seed weight, number of pods per plant and pod length had high heritability and genetic gain indicating the presence of additive gene action and hence they can be relied upon in selection programmes.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Induction of mutations in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1980) Sunny, K Oommen; KAU; Gopimony, R
    Studies were undertaken to obtain precise information on the effects of six doses of gamma rays (5-30 krads) and seven concentrations of ethyl methanesulphonate (0.1-0.7 per cent) in cowpea, using the variety ' New Era'. The effectiveness and efficiency of different doses of the two mutagens in inducing chlorophyll mutations were estimated. (1) The germination of cowpea seeds was not affected by green rays even at the highest dose employed , whereas ethyl methanesulphonate inhibited germination and the reduction in percentage was progressive with increasing doses. (2) The survival of plants based on the number of seeds sown was reduced by both mutagens. Post germination mortality occured to a certain degree with gamma irrediation, whereas it did not occur to any considerable extent with ethyl methanesulphonate treatment. (3) A differential effect on the growth of shoot and that of root was observed with both mutagens in the present study. The growth inhibition was more for the shoot with gamma rays ,while ethyl methanesulphonate produced a higher degree of inhibition for the growth of root than for shoot.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Selection parameters in tapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1980) Radhakrishnan, V V; KAU; Gopakumar, K
    During a biometrical study conducted on 20 divergent types of tapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in the premises of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute at Trivandrum, as a postgraduate programme of the Kerala Agricultural University, useful informations on the selection parameters become available. Accordingly, it was found that harvest index should be the best reliable criterion for effecting selection in favour of a desirable genotype from among others in a genetically heterogenic base population. Further, it is proposed that potentially high tuber yielders in the crop could be identified among relatively short statured ones with more number of large sized leaves that have become completely developed sufficiently early during development of the shoot. In addition , a tendency for relatively more number of leaves to become abscissed towards the time of harvest should also be considered as a positive sign of high tuber yield
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Selection index in horse gram (Dolichos biflorus L.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1980) Suraiya, D; KAU; Mercy, S T
    The present biometric study was carried out in the College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the year 1979-80 with fifteen varieties of horse gram (Doliches biflorus L.) to formulate a suitable selection index for yield. The observation plants were studied individually for the following characters. (1) Seed yield per plant (2) Number of pods per plant (3) Number of seeds per pod (4) 100-seed weight (5) Pod length (6) Days to 500 flowering (7) Height of plant (8) Number of branches (9) Days to maturity (duration). The data obtained in the study were subjected to statistical analysis viz. estimates of mean for all the different varieties, analysis of variance in respect of the nine selected characters, estimates of components of variances, genotype, environmental and phenotypic coefficients of variations, heritability, genetic advance and studies of discriminant function and path coefficient analysis.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on intervarietal hybrids of tomato
    (Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1975) Rema Bai, N; KAU; Mary K, George
    The present investigations were carried out in College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the year 1974-75. Five varieties of Lycopersion esculentum viz., YRFN-3, Mech9, VF36, Walter and Local were utilised for intercrossing. Investigations on the quantitative and qualitative characters, heterosis, hybrid sterility and sucrose content of the parents and hybrids were undertaken. Though the hybridisation work was done in all combinations, there was fruit setting only in fourteen crosses. YRFN-3 as male parent failed to cross with any other varieties except with Walter. In this case though fruit setting was occurred, seeds obtained were not viable. YRFN-3 as female parent also failed to cross with any other varieties except with Local.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on intervarietal hybrids in cowpea
    (Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1980) Inasi, K A; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K M
    Among the green vegetables cultivated in Kerala, cowpea (Vigna ungulculata L.) occupies about 70 per cent of the total area. At present cowpea cultivation in the state is showing a declining trend due to the low productivity of the available local varieties. The highly contrasting systems of cultivation of cowpea in the various parts and in different seasons in the State compels compels cowpea breeders to evolve varieties of different combinations of plant, pod and seed characters. This is possible by combining of desirable characteristics found distributed in different varieties, through hybridisation followed by selection.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic studies in cowpea
    (Division of Agricultural Botany,College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1979) Chandrika, P; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K M
    Geneticstudies were undertaken with 202 varieties of cowpea (Vigna ungulculata L.) maintained in the germplasm collection of the Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara. The studies conducted during the two khariff seasons of 1977-78 and 1978-79 were mainly directed towards estimation of the variability available in the collection, working out of the heritable components of the variability, identification of promising donor varieties for important characters and grouping the varieties into clusters according to the estimated genetic distances following the Mahalanobis D2-statistic.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on the F3 generation of intervarietal crosses in rice
    (Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1976) Thomas Mathew; KAU; Abraham, A T
    The present study was conducted in the Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period from March to June 1974. Nine characters in the F3 generation of the intervarietal crosses of rice was studied. The crosses involves three local varieties, Navara, Ptb-28 and Ptb-29 and the two high yielding varieties , Anapurna and Triveni. Correlation of the yield with four characters was also studied. The characters, viz. flowering duration, plant height, total number of tillers, panicle length, grain yield, 1000 grain weight, ear weight and apikelet sterility are inherited quantitatively and are controlled by more than one gene. Spikelet sterility is more in the Anapurna X Navara cross
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of defoliation at panicle emergence and anthesis on grain yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1978) Syed Moshin, Ibrahim; KAU; Gopinathan Nair, N
    The contributions of the different leaves and the importance of the period between panicle emergence and anthesis to grain filling in three varieties of rice were studied by employing the defoliation technique. Jaya, a medium duration dwarf variety recorded the highest yield and yield components. Of the two short duration varieties the dwarf variety Jyothi performed better than the tall variety Ptb.10. Increasing the severity of^defoliation resulted in further reductions in yield. It was found that only the top three leaves are important in grain filling in rice. The contribution of the third leaf is lower than any of the other two leaves. Flag leaf and penultimate leaf are of equal importance in grain filling in rice. Defoliation stimulated the photosynthetic activity of the remaining green parts which compensated partially for loss of leaves. A short period of eight days between panicle emergence and anthesis was found to be important in grain filling in rice. Damage to the leaves by insects, diseases or other agents at the early heading stage could have drastic effects on grain yield in rice.