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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: Balachandran Nair, G K × Author: KAU × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1982 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Seed production in stylosanthes gracilis under varying levels of population density, nutrition, moisturiser regimes and cuttings
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1989) Balachandran Nair, G K; KAU; Sreedharan, C
    An investigation was carried out during the period from July 1980 to March 1982 in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to study the agronomic techniques required for maximum seed production in Brazilian lucerne (Stylosanthes gracilis). The following three separate field experiments were conducted and data collected and analysed. The first experiment entitled ‘influence of cultivars and plant population on seed production’ was laid out as a22 Factorial Experiment in R. B. D and replicated five times with the objective to find out the best cultivar of Stylosanthes gracilis for seed production along with the seed rate. The treatments consisted of combinations of two cultivars of Stylosanthes gracilis viz. Schofield and Cook, and two seed rates viz. 2.5 and 5 kg/ha. The second experiment entitled ‘nutritional requirements of Stylosanthes for seed production’ was laid out as a32 Factorial Experiment in R. B. D and replicated thrice with the treatment combinations of three levels of phosphorus viz.80, 120 and 160 kg P2 O5/ha and three levels of lime viz. no lime, 375 and 750 kg lime/ha. The objective was to assess the phosphorus and lime requirement of the crop for maximum seed yield. The third experiment entitled ‘Effect of moisture regimes and cuttings on seed production’ was conducted as a 32 Factorial Experiment in R.B. D and replicated thrice with treatment combinations of three irrigation schedules (IW/CPE ratios) viz. 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 and three cutting schedules viz. no cutting, one cutting and two cutting. The objective was to investigate the efficiency of irrigation schedules and cuttings on seed yield. The results from the investigation revealed that the variety cook produced significantly higher seed yield of about 64 kg/ha as against 35 kg/ha obtained from the variety schofield. The seed rate of 5 kg/ha gave the higher seed yield of about 56 kg/ha as against the seed yield of about 43 kg/ha under the seed rate of 2.5 kg/ha. The seed yield attributing characters like setting percentage of seeds and number of seeds per plant were maximum for the variety cook. All the growth characters contributed to about 66 per cent of the variation in seed yield. The highest net return per hectare was obtained when the variety schofield was grown under a seed rate of 2.5 kg/ha. Application of phosphorus at 120 kg and lime at 375 kg per hectare gave maximum seed yield of about 80 kg/ha. It was also found that higher levels of phosphorus like 120 or 160 kg/ha helped to increase the setting percentage of seeds. The biometric characters such as spread of plants, number of branches and LAI were significantly influenced by the application of 120 kg phosphorus and 375 kg lime per hectare. The nutrients uptake was also enhanced by the application of phosphorus and lime at the above levels. The growth characters influenced the seed yield by 53 per cent. The economic optimum doses of phosphorus and lime for maximum seed yield were found to be 149 kg and 593 kg per hectare respectively. The highest gross and net returns were obtained from plots treated with phosphorus and lime at 120 kg and 375 kg per hectare respectively. Irrigating the crop at IW/CPE ratio 1.00 gave the maximum seed yield of 89 kg/ha. When the crop was left without cut it produced the highest seed yield of 92 kg/ha. The maximum setting percentage of seeds and leaf production were observed when the crop was irrigated at ratio 1.00 and without cut. The no cutting treatment gave maximum number of seeds per plant. The biometric charaters like height, spread, number of branches and length of branches were all found maximum in treatments where no cutting was given. Maximum water use efficiency for seed production was recorded by the lowest irrigation ratio of 0.50 and also when the crop was left without cut. About 46 per cent of the variation in seed yield was explained by the growth characters. Maximum net return per hectare was obtained when the crop was irrigated at IW/CPE ratio 1.00 and without cut.