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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: Agronomy × Author: Akhila, C Thampi × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2017 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Magnesium nutrition in hybrid napier
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2017) Akhila, C Thampi; KAU; Usha, C Thomas
    The investigation entitled “Crop productivity and weed dynamics in rice based farming systems” was undertaken with the objective of studying the performance and weed dynamics of different cropping sequences in rice based integrated farming systems. The experiment forms a part of ongoing All India Coordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming System and was carried out in the Integrated Farming System Research Station (IFSRS), Karamana, Kerala Agricultural University. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with seven treatments, replicated thrice, during the summer and Virippu seasons 2016. The treatments were, T1 (rice-rice-fallow), T2 (rice-rice-amaranthus), T3 (rice-rice-culinary melon), T4 (rice- rice-fodder cowpea), T5 (rice+fish)-(rice+fish)-(amaranthus+fish), T6 (rice+fish)- (rice+fish)- (culinary melon+fish) and T7 (rice+fish)-(rice+fish)-(fodder cowpea+fish). The varieties of rice, amarathus, culinary melon and fodder cowpea used were Uma, Arun, Vellayani local and Aiswarya respectively. In treatments T5-T7 fish species viz., catla (Catla catla) and rohu (Labio rohita) were introduced into the trenches of 6m x 3m x 1m after transplanting of Virippu crop and were harvested after summer crop. The data related to rice yield during Virippu and Mundakan season of 2015, generated from the ongoing trial, were used for working out the economics of the systems. During summer, growth of amaranthus and fodder cowpea was superior when grown along with fish. The highest yield of fodder cowpea was obtained when it was grown as sole crop (T4) followed by culinary melon grown with fish (T6) and fodder cowpea grown with fish. However, significantly higher rice equivalent yield (REY) was obtained when culinary melon was integrated with fish (T6). During summer, among weeds, grasses dominated, followed by sedges and broad leaved weeds. Population of Echinochloa colona, Lindernia grandiflora and Fimbristylis miliacea predominated among the grasses, broad leaved weeds and sedges respectively. The absolute density of different weeds was significantly less in T6 at all the stages, whereas in T2 and T5 the population was higher. The highest dry weight of grasses, broad leaved and sedges were in T1 at all stages. Among the other treatments, T2 recorded significantly higher dry matter of grasses at both the stages. But dry weight of broad leaved weeds and sedges was significantly higher in T2 and T4 only at 20 DAS. The weed control efficiency (WCE) of grasses and sedges were significantly higher in T6 at all stages, while in broad leaved weeds, WCE was similar in all treatments except T2. In general, among the treatments except T1 removal of all major nutrients (N, P and K) by weeds was significantly higher in T2, T3 and T5 both at 20 and 40 DAS. During Virippu, rice plants were taller when grown with fish (T5, T6, and T7) and in the system where culinary melon sole crop preceded the rice crop (T3) during summer. Significantly more number of tillers was produced in T6 at 20 DAT and in T7 at 40 DAT. The number of productive tillers m-2 and thousand grain weight did not vary significantly among treatments. However, significantly higher grain weight panicle-1 was recorded in T7 (4.08 g), which was on par with T6 T5 and T1. Grain productivity was significantly higher and on par in the systems in which rice was integrated with fish (T5, T6, and T7). In general, yield attributes and productivity of rice were less in rice-rice-fallow system. During Virippu, season also grasses were dominated followed by sedges and broad leaved weeds.The highest absolute density of grasses was in T5 at 20 DAT, broad leaved weeds in T1 and T5 and sedges in T7 and T5 at 20 and 40 DAT. Weed dry weight of grasses was initially the highest in rice-rice-fallow (T1). At 40 DAT dry weight of grasses was the highest in T7 and comparable with T6 and T1. Weed dry weight of broad leaved weeds was the highest in T1 at 20 and 40 DAT and in T5 at 60 DAT. Weed dry weight of sedges was more in T1 at 20 DAT. The WCE of grasses was the highest in T3, T1 and T6 at 20, 40 and 60 DAT respectively, while that of broad leaved weeds the highest in T3 at 20 and 40 DAT and of sedges in T1 at all the stages. Significantly higher amount of nitrogen was removed by weeds in T1 at 20 DAT, while at 40 and 60 DAT, it was more in T7. A similar trend was observed in phosphorus and potassium also. Regarding soil nutrient status before summer, nitrogen content was higher in T2, while phosphorus and potassium was higher in T5. After the summer crop, nitrogen content was significantly higher in T2, T3, T5 and T4 which were on par. Phosphorus and potassium content was significantly higher in T5 and T2 and they were on par. After the Virippu rice crop, significantly higher available nitrogen content was in T5, T2, T6 and T7 which were on par. The economic parameters viz., gross returns, net returns, B: C ratio, LRI (Link Relative index), system profitability and crop profitability were significantly higher in T6. The contribution of the fish component to the gross income varied from ₹ 1.27 to 1.32 lakhs from 0.50 ha. From the study, the investigations on weed dynamics revealed that the population of weeds was more in summer than in Virippu. During summer and Virippu, grasses dominated followed by sedges and broad leaved weeds, but broad leaved weeds were more in Virippu than in summer. In summer, weeds were more in fallow and in systems with sole crops. Among crops, weed growth was more in amaranthus. In Virippu, weeds were higher in the systems where rice was grown with fish. The productivity of summer crops and Virippu rice crop was more in cropping sequences integrated with fish. Rice+fish – rice+fish –culinary melon+fish system performed better in terms of weed control, yield and profit. This was followed by Rice+fish – rice+fish – amaranthus+fish system