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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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1986 - 198912
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Subject: Agriculture × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1986 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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Now showing 1 - 9 of 12
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Flower bud differentiation in clove, Eugenia caryophyllus (Sprengel) Bullock & Harrison
    (Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Trivandrum, 1989) Pauline Lina, Edwin; KAU; Vasanthakumar, K
    Investigations on flower bud differentiation in clove were carried out at College of Agriculture, Vellayani from August, 1936 to December, 1987. Bearing clove trees (seven years old) at the Instructional Farm attached to the college were utilized for the study. The plant specimens were stored in FAA (Formalin-acetoalcohol) and then dehydrated through tertiary butyl alcohol - iso propyl alcohol series. The specimens were Infiltrated and embedded In paraffin wax (m.p. 58-60'C) and sectioned In a rotary microtone. The sections were then de-waxed, stained and examined for the anatomical features and photoalerogra- phed. The weather parameters and the nutritional factors recorded daring the period of study and those during sixteen fortnights prior to differentiation, were correlated with the data on flower bud differentiation. Significant positive correlation was obtained between the maximum temperature during the sixth to tenth fortnights before differentiation and the percentage of flower buds differentiated. Sunshine hours during ninth to twelfth fort night prior to differentiation showed a positive correlation with the percentage of flower bud differentiation.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genomic relationship in vigna species
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1986) Neema, V P; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K M
    Investigations on the genomic relationship in Vigna species were undertaken in the Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture during 1983-1985. Pure seeds of the two subspecies of Vigna unguiculata, viz. unguiculata and sesguipedalis were sown and crop raised. Direct and reciprocal crosses were made. Morphological and cytological investigations were done. It was found that the two subspecies easily crossable. In both the subspecies there was high prefertilisation shed. The chromosome number of subsp. unguiculata was 2n=22, of subsp. sesguipedalis 2n=24 and of F1 hybrid was 2n= 23. Both the parents and hybrid showed cells with laggards. Length of meiotic and somatic metaphase chromosomes was more in subsp. sesguipedalis, lowest in subsp. unguiculata and intermediate in their F1 hybrid. Both the subspecies and their hybrid had almost similar TF % which gave an indication of similarity in their karyotypes. Pollen fertility was more in subsp. sesguipedalis. Reciprocal difference was seen in the case of morphological characters like height of the plant, number of primary branches, internodal length, seeds per pod, seed colour and seed volume. However, these differences were not seen traceable in the cytology of the hybrid.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Variability studies on certain T X CDO F, hybrids of coconut (Cocos nucifera L)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1987) Sreelatha, P C; KAU; Kumaran, K
    Investigations conducted on variability in 14 F1 parental combinations of T X CDO coconut hybrids at the KADP farm attached to the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara revealed no significant difference between pollen parents in their contribution to the progenies in any of the 17 characters studied, unlike the female parents. The number of spadices was found to be highly correlated with the number of buttons set followed by the number of functional leaves and number of female flowers produced. The fourteen parental combinations were grouped into three clusters using Mahalanobis’ D2 analysis. Clusters I and II were the most divergent ones. Production of spadices and female flowers were found to be high during March, April and May and absent during October, November and December. Heavy rain during active female phase was found to affect setting of button adversely. Fertility and viability of pollen were found to be very high except during April and May due to high temperature.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Induction of genetic variability in guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) Var.Makuenii
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1989) Rani, N; KAU; Vijayagopal, P D
    Guinea grass (Panicum maximum J.) being a facultative apomicts under continuous vegetative propagation carry very little variability. The cross incompatibility also restricts attempts to produce variability through conventional methods of plant breeding. The main objective of the study is to induce variability through mutations in guinea grass variety Makuenii using gamma rays at four doses ranging from 15 Krad to 30 Krad and EMS at four concentrations ranging from 0.25 percent to 1.00 percent. The effect of the mutagens in M1 and M 1 V1 generations were studied. The observations in the M1 generation indicated that germination of seeds was progressively reduced with increase in the dose of mutagens. The survival and early growth of seedlings were adversely affected by the mutagen treatments. The seedlings appeared to suffer from the transplanting shock as indicated by high mortality of the plants in the field. Higher doses of mutagens induced height reduction. However the tillering ability of the plants did not seem to have been affected but higher doses of mutagens inhibited flowering initiation. Pollen sterility in M1 generation exihibited dose dependence. A few chlorophyll chimeras were observed in the M1 generation. Morphological abnormalities induced dwarf, tall, semi open and open types with leaf and inflorescence modifications. The means of M1 V1 clones exhibited both positive and negative shifts from the population means with respect to plant height. Treatments 20 Kard gamma rays and 0.25% EMS caused positive shifts in the means of girth at internode and leaf area index. Certain clones were identified to have higher green fodder yield than the control. These clones also had higher girth at internode and higher leaf area index. The study revealed that variability with respect to plant height, girth at internode, leaf area index and green fodder yield can be induced by mutations using appropriate doses of gamma rays and EMS. A medium dose of 20 Krad gamma rays and a relatively lower dose of 0.25 percent EMS were found to induce more useful variations.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Relative biological effectiveness of gamma rays and ethyl methane sulphonate on cardamom varieties
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1987) Benney Joseph; KAU; Kamalam, N
    The direct effect of 60 Co-gamma rays and ethylmethane sulphonate (EMS) on three varieities of cardomom namely Malabar, Mysore and Vazhukka was studied during the course of present investigation. The experiment was carried out at the Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture , Vellayani during the year1985-1986. Dry seeds were exposed to gamma rays at dose levels ranging from 10-70 kR at 10 kR interval and the pre-soaked seeds for 16 hours were treated with EMS concentrations ranging from 0.25 % to 1.75% at an interval of 0.25%. Soaked seeds were also exposed to gamma rays with 10 and 20 kR. The experiment was laid out in RBD with two replications. Direct effect of the mutagens was assessed by analysing the effect of various growth metrices like number of days taken to start germination , number of days taken to complete germination from the date of sowing and also from the date of first sprout, rate of germination , germination percentage, survival percentage, growth rate based on plant height , leaf number, leaf area and tiller number , frequency of chlorophyll deficient plants and cytological effects. The data collected were analysed statistically . Since sufficient population was not available at higher doses of both the mutagens they were not considered for growth metric analysis.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic resource evaluation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) for resistance to tikka leaf spot
    (Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Sajikumar, T A; KAU; Achamma Oommen
    The research project " Genetic resource evaluation of groundnut Arachis hypogaea L.) for resistance to tikka leaf spot was carried out at the College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, during 1988-89. Two hundred and fifty six groundnut genotypes available in the Department of Agricultural Botany were made use of for the study. A susceptible variety- TMV 2- was used as control. A field screening study was conducted with the 257 genotypes during July- November 1988, in arandomised block design with two replications. Disease rating was done with the aid of a diagramatic chart and the groundnut accessions were grouped into different categories such as immune, highly resistant, resistant, moderately resistant , moderately susceptible, susceptible and highly susceptible , based on the percentage of infection on leaves . Out of the 257 genotypes used for screening studies, four genotypes were moderately susceptible , 197 susceptible and 56 highly susceptible to tikka leaf spot. None of the varieties was immune highly resistant or moderately resistant.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Karyomorphology, Pollen sterility and seedset in Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanioides (Linn) Nash.)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Mini, K S; KAU; Viswanathan, T V
    Investigations on karyomorphology, pollen sterility and seedset in Vetiveria zizanioides were undertaken using eleven cultivars of Vetiver, including North Indian type, South Indian type and one hybrid. The observations on plant morphology indicated no clearcut morphological features employable for exact identification of North Indian and South Indian types of Vetiver. The somatic chromosome number was observed constant in all cultivars ie. 2n = 20. However, the different cultivars differed cytologically with respect to chromosomal characters like size and shape, total chromatin content and meiotic configurations during different stages of division. Presence of meiotic abnormalities like bridges and laggards were observed in all cultivars with highest frequency in O D V - 4. This cultivar also showed high percentage of pollen sterility. A direct relationship between meiotic abnormalities and pollen sterility was noticed. Studies on seedset pattern of different cultivars revealed very low set, mostly nil upon selfing, while all the cultivars produced fairly high quantity of seeds upon open pollination.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Intra and inter varietal variability analyses in cardamom (Elettarla cardamomum Maton)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1987) Gopal Radhakrishnan; KAU; Chandramony, D
    The present investigation was conducted at the Cardamon Research Station, Pampadumpara to obtain Information on the magnitude of genetic variability In the population and the extent to which the desirable characters are heritable. Four popular cultivars viz. Malabar, Mysore, Vazhukka and PV-1 of two age groups three and six year old planted at the above station were used for the study. Observations were made on height of tillers, number of productive tiliers/plant, number of leaves/tiller, number of panicles/plant, number of capsules/panicle, fresh weight of capsules/plant, dry weight of capsules/plant, hundred capsule weight, capsule volume, number of seeds/capsule, length of panicle, number of nodes/ panicle and Internodal length In the panicle. The data collected was subjected to studies on genetic variability, estimation of genetic parameters, correlation and path coefficient analysis. Variability analysis revealed that significant differences exsisted among the varieties for eight of the thirteen morphological characters studied. They were number of productive tillers/plant, height of tillers, number of panicles/plant,internodal length in the panicle, number of capsules/panicle, capsule volume, fresh and dry weight of capsules/plant. The variability within the varieties was not significant.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    In vitro techniques In relation to induced nutations in groundnut
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1987) Arya, K; Krishnan Nair, N
    The present investigation entitled In vitro techniques In relation to induced mutations in Groundnut was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Botany College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 1984-86.All the works related to tissue culture analysis was done at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, attached to Tropical Botanic Gardens and Research Institute, Kumarapuram, Trivandrum. The main objective of the experiment was to standardise the best embryo culture technique in groundnut to standardise a successful mutation breeding programme by using the most potent chemical mutagen, etbylmethane sulphonate. The project has also envisaged to standardise the techniques to assess the correct stage of embryo treatment with the mutagen and to standardise the best mode of treatment of the mutagen solution to the embryoids and embryos.