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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: Archana, C R × End date: 2019 × Start date: 2000 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Baby corn [Zea mays L.] as a dual purpose crop in summer rice fallows
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2016) Archana, C R; KAU; Lalitha, Bai E K
    Maize is the third most important cereal crop in India as well as in the world. It has diversified uses as food for human, feed for livestock and raw material in industries. Maize being a C4 plant, is an efficient converter of absorbed nutrients into food. A recent development is the use of maize as vegetable, commonly known as ‘baby corn’. Baby corn is a small, young, unfertilized corn ear harvested within 2-3 days of silk emergence. In Kerala, most of the rice fields are left uncultivated in the third crop season due to shortage of water. Since baby corn is of short duration and is moderately drought tolerant, it can thrive in the summer rice fallows of Kerala. The benefit with baby corn is that even after the harvest of corn, the total herbage can be utilized as fodder. The experiment was carried out at the Agronomy farm attached to the Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara from February to April 2015 to study the suitability of baby corn in summer rice fallows as a dual purpose crop, as vegetable and fodder and to evaluate the performance of different varieties under varied plant density. The treatments included planting of three baby corn varieties viz., G 5414, CO 6 and NSC 1009 B under four different plant densities viz., 60 cm x 15 cm, 50 cm x 15 cm, 40 cm x 15 cm, 30 cm x 15 cm. The varieties under different plant densities significantly affected the growth and yield characters at 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Plant height increased with increasing plant density. Highest plant height was noted for the closer planting of 40 cm x 15 cm at harvest. Among the varieties, CO 6 gave the tallest plants at harvest. The variety NSC 1009 B had the highest leaf area at 30 DAS for plant spacing of 40 cm x 15 cm, and for 60 cm x 15 cm at 60 DAS. Leaf area index at both stages was highest for the variety NSC 1009 B at 30 cm x 15 cm. The variety NSC 1009 B took least number of days for tasseling, silking and first harvest. The highest number of cobs per plant was produced by the variety G 5414. Cob and corn characteristics such as length, girth and weight were higher for wider planting of 60 cm x 15 cm and 50 cm x 15 cm. All the three varieties performed similarly in terms of green cob and baby corn yield. However, the highest green fodder yield of 32 t/ha was produced by the variety CO 6. Closer planting of 30 cm x 15 cm resulted in the highest green cob yield (12.48 t/ha), baby corn yield (3.22 t/ha) and green fodder yield (34.09 t/ha). The treatments significantly influenced the fodder quality parameters such as crude protein, crude fibre and crude fat. All the three parameters were highest for wider planting of 60 cm x 15 cm. Crude fat and crude protein contents were higher in leaf compared to stem, whereas crude fibre content was higher in stem compared to leaf. Nutrient content in crop decreased with increasing plant density. Content and uptake of potassium were higher among the nutrient elements followed by nitrogen. Organic carbon, available N, P and K in soil decreased after the experiment. The highest B:C ratio of 4.7 was obtained for the variety NSC 1009 B and CO 6 at 30 cm x 15 cm. All the three varieties were suitable for the summer rice fallows of Kerala. However, the varieties NSC 1009 B and CO 6 performed better in fodder yield. Among the four different spacing levels, closer planting of 30 x 15 cm can be adopted to obtain higher green cob, baby corn and green fodder yield.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Baby corn [Zea mays L.] as a dual purpose crop in summer rice fallows
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2016) Archana, C R; KAU; Lalitha Bai, E K
    Maize is the third most important cereal crop in India as well as in the world. It has diversified uses as food for human, feed for livestock and raw material in industries. Maize being a C4 plant, is an efficient converter of absorbed nutrients into food. A recent development is the use of maize as vegetable, commonly known as ‘baby corn’. Baby corn is a small, young, unfertilized corn ear harvested within 2-3 days of silk emergence. In Kerala, most of the rice fields are left uncultivated in the third crop season due to shortage of water. Since baby corn is of short duration and is moderately drought tolerant, it can thrive in the summer rice fallows of Kerala. The benefit with baby corn is that even after the harvest of corn, the total herbage can be utilized as fodder. The experiment was carried out at the Agronomy farm attached to the Department of Agronomy, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara from February to April 2015 to study the suitability of baby corn in summer rice fallows as a dual purpose crop, as vegetable and fodder and to evaluate the performance of different varieties under varied plant density. The treatments included planting of three baby corn varieties viz., G 5414, CO 6 and NSC 1009 B under four different plant densities viz., 60 cm x 15 cm, 50 cm x 15 cm, 40 cm x 15 cm, 30 cm x 15 cm. The varieties under different plant densities significantly affected the growth and yield characters at 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). Plant height increased with increasing plant density. Highest plant height was noted for the closer planting of 40 cm x 15 cm at harvest. Among the varieties, CO 6 gave the tallest plants at harvest. The variety NSC 1009 B had the highest leaf area at 30 DAS for plant spacing of 40 cm x 15 cm, and for 60 cm x 15 cm at 60 DAS. Leaf area index at both stages was highest for the variety NSC 1009 B at 30 cm x 15 cm. The variety NSC 1009 B took least number of days for tasseling, silking and first harvest. The highest number of cobs per plant was produced by the variety G 5414. Cob and corn characteristics such as length, girth and weight were higher for wider planting of 60 cm x 15 cm and 50 cm x 15 cm. All the three varieties performed similarly in terms of green cob and baby corn yield. However, the highest green fodder yield of 32 t/ha was produced by the variety CO 6. Closer planting of 30 cm x 15 cm resulted in the highest green cob yield (12.48 t/ha), baby corn yield (3.22 t/ha) and green fodder yield (34.09 t/ha). The treatments significantly influenced the fodder quality parameters such as crude protein, crude fibre and crude fat. All the three parameters were highest for wider planting of 60 cm x 15 cm. Crude fat and crude protein contents were higher in leaf compared to stem, whereas crude fibre content was higher in stem compared to leaf. Nutrient content in crop decreased with increasing plant density. Content and uptake of potassium were higher among the nutrient elements followed by nitrogen. Organic carbon, available N, P and K in soil decreased after the experiment. The highest B:C ratio of 4.7 was obtained for the variety NSC 1009 B and CO 6 at 30 cm x 15 cm. All the three varieties were suitable for the summer rice fallows of Kerala. However, the varieties NSC 1009 B and CO 6 performed better in fodder yield. Among the four different spacing levels, closer planting of 30 x 15 cm can be adopted to obtain higher green cob, baby corn and green fodder yield.