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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: Akshatha, V × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2018 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Weed management in cabbage (brassica oleracea var.capitata L.)
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2018) Akshatha, V; KAU; Prameela, K P
    Cabbage is an important cool season annual vegetable crop belonging to the family Brassicaceae. In Kerala, its cultivation was earlier restricted to the hill tracts but with the introduction of tropical varieties and hybrids by the Kerala Agricultural University, cultivation of the crop has spread to the plains also. The heavy manurial and irrigation requirements of the crop create conducive conditions for germination and growth of weeds, which reduce cabbage yield by 45-80 per cent. Manual weeding is an effective method of weed control in cabbage, but due to the time, labour and cost factors involved, it is not very acceptable. The present experiment entitled “Weed management in cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.)” was conducted at Centre for Hi-tech Horticulture and Precision Farming, Vellanikkara during November 2017 to March 2018 using the variety NS 183. The objective of the study was to evolve a weed management package for cabbage suited to the plains of Kerala. The treatments comprised of application of two pre emergence herbicides (oxyfluorfen 0.2 kg/ha and pendimethalin 1.5 kg/ha) both followed by a hand weeding at 30 DAP, high density planting (0.6m x 0.3m) plus one hand weeding at 25 DAP, two mulching treatments (coconut fronds and silver-black polythene), stale seed bed technique plus one hand weeding at 30 DAP, hand weeding (25 and 50 DAP) and an unweeded control. Broad leaf weeds were predominant (79%) in the field and the important among them were Trianthema portulacastrum, Oldenlandia sp., Cleome viscosa and Cleome burmanii.Polythene mulching of the field resulted in 100 per cent weed control efficiency. Weed dry matter production and N, P and K removal by weeds were higher in unweeded control, and dry matter production increased from 25DAP to 50DAP. Pre emergence application of pendimethalin at 1.5 kg/ha was more effective than oxyfluorfen at 0.2 kg/ha application (8% more effective at 25 DAP). Stale seed bed technique recorded a weed control efficiency of 97.83 per cent at 50 DAP and in high density planting weed control efficiency increased from 12.49 per cent at 25 DAP to 93 per cent at 50 DAP. Coconut frond mulching could not control weeds effectively and weed control efficiency reduced from 55.52 per cent at 25 DAP to 48.96 per cent at 50 DAP. Plant growth parameters were influenced by the different weed management practices. Polythene mulched plots recorded the highest plant height and spread and the lowest duration to 50 per cent head formation and maturity. The highest gross (1987.27g) and net (858.47g) head weights were recorded in polythene mulched plots, which was statistically superior to all other treatments. It was followed by pendimethalin treatment with a net head weight of 523.40g. Highest yield of 16.83t/ha was obtained from polythene mulched plots, followed by pendimethalin applied plots (10.26t/ha). Unweeded control recorded the lowest cabbage yield and values for yield attributes. Unweeded control recorded lower content of all the major nutrients (available N, P and K) in soil. Nutrient contents were highest in plots with minimum weed infestation. The population of soil microflora (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) increased after experiment as compared to pre experimental period, indicating no negative influence of herbicides on soil microbes. Polythene mulching, even with higher cost of cultivation, resulted in the highest net return and B:C ratio (2.17). Second highest B:C ratio was obtained with pendimethalin treatment (1.63). Coconut frond mulching cannot be recommended as a weed control measure as it was found ineffective in suppressing weed growth. Polythene mulch was found to be the best method of weed control in cabbage.