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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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2020 - 20212
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Subject: Agronomy × Author: Kishore, Neeruganti × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Perfomance of high yielding varieties of finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.)] (Gaertn)
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2021) Kishore, Neeruganti; KAU; Prameela, P
    An experiment entitled “Performance of high yielding varieties of finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn)” was undertaken during the period from July 2018 to January2019 at the Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur.The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the performance of some prominent high yielding varieties of ragi suitable for Kharif and Rabi seasons in central Kerala. Randomized block design was adopted with nine varieties and three replications in both seasons. The plot size was 5 m x 4 m and the seeds were line sown at a spacing of 25 cm x 15 cm. The high yielding varieties included were VR 708 (Champavathi), Vakula, Hima, Maruthi and PR 202 (Godavari) (released from Andhra Pradesh), GPU 48, GPU 28 and KMR 201 (released from Karnataka) and Co15 (released from Tamil Nadu). All the management practices were done as per Package of Practices Recommendations of KAU. Observations on growth parameters were taken at 30 DAS, flowering and at harvest. Quality parameters of grain (crude protein, crude fibre, Ca and Fe), yield and yield attributes were also recorded. Varietal differences were significant with respect to plant height. In Kharif, when plant height was recorded at harvesting, GPU 28 (109.71 cm) and PR 202 (111.07 cm) were superior to all other varieties with statistically comparable values. The shorter varieties were GPU 48 (77.75 cm) and VR 708 (78.39 cm). At this stage in Rabi, CO15 had the tallest plants (100.41 cm). However, PR 202 also had statistically comparable plant height (98.65 cm). VR 708, Maruthi and GPU 48 were statistically on par and were inferior to other varieties with plant height in the range 72.17cm to 73.99cm. The varieties differed significantly with respect to total number of tillers in both the seasons. In general, Rabi crop had a greater number of basal tillers than the Kharif crop. The average number of basal tillers was 5.80 in Kharif and 6.80 in Rabi. In Kharif, variety VR 708 (9.27) was statistically superior with respect to basal tillers produced than other varieties. Variety Vakula produced only 3.6 tillers per plant. In Rabi, the greater number of tillers were produced by VR 708 (10.27) and CO15 (9.93). Total number of tillers showed an increase in most of the varieties, and in Hima and Vakula, a sharp increase in tiller number during Rabi was registered compared to Kharif. Seasonal differences were not pronounced in many varieties with respect to days to flowering but variation to the extent of up to 11 days was noticed in variety GPU 28. On an average, the days to 50 per cent flowering was 69 in Kharif and 72 in Rabi season. In Kharif season, PR 202 took the longest period for 50 percent flowering (79 days). The calcium content in ragi grain showed wide variability among varieties ranging from 326mg/100g to 564 mg/100g over the seasons and Fe content was in a narrow range of 6.25 – 8.91 mg/100g. There was no significant difference in fibre content of various varieties. More productive tillers were produced by CO15 and the minimum number of productive tillers were produced by Maruthi. Wide variations in finger length was observed among varieties and the values ranged from 5.30cm to 11.87 cm in Kharif and 6.23 to 11.97 cm in Rabi season. Vakula had the highest value in both seasons and was significantly superior to all others. The test weight ranged from 1.53 to 3.53 g in Kharif and from 1.51 to 3.25 g in Rabi among the varieties. Variety PR 202 had the highest 1000 grain weight of 3.53g. The average straw yield was 3592 kg/ha in Kharif whereas a higher value of 4010 kg/ha was realized in Rabi. The highest straw yield was for KMR 201(5100 kg/ha & 5141 kg/ha in Kharif and Rabi)) which was on par with GPU 48 (4578 kg/ha) in Kharif. The straw yields were low in Maruthi (3059.7 kg/ha), Vakula (3388.8 kg/ha) and VR 708 (3550 kg/ha) in both seasons. Among the nine varieties tried, six varieties - GPU 48, GPU 28, Hima, CO15 , PR 202 (Godavari) and KMR 201 performed better in Kharif as well as in Rabi season. The variety KMR 201 was found to be superior in terms of yield in both the seasons (3008.3 and 2737 kg/ha, respectively), whereas the white seeded variety Hima was found to be ideal for Rabi season due to its superior yield of 3092 kg/ha . Variety CO15 showed more adaptability to Kharif with grain yield of 2355 kg/ha and the performance was poor in Rabi (1833.33 kg/ha). Three varieties VR 708, Vakula and Maruthi are not ideal varieties for Kerala especially for Kharif season
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Perfomance of high yielding varieties of finger millet [Eleusine coracana (L.)] (Gaertn)
    (Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2020) Kishore, Neeruganti; KAU; Prameela, P
    An experiment entitled “Performance of high yielding varieties of finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn)” was undertaken during the period from July 2018 to January2019 at the Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur.The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the performance of some prominent high yielding varieties of ragi suitable for Kharif and Rabi seasons in central Kerala. Randomized block design was adopted with nine varieties and three replications in both seasons. The plot size was 5 m x 4 m and the seeds were line sown at a spacing of 25 cm x 15 cm. The high yielding varieties included were VR 708 (Champavathi), Vakula, Hima, Maruthi and PR 202 (Godavari) (released from Andhra Pradesh), GPU 48, GPU 28 and KMR 201 (released from Karnataka) and Co15 (released from Tamil Nadu). All the management practices were done as per Package of Practices Recommendations of KAU. Observations on growth parameters were taken at 30 DAS, flowering and at harvest. Quality parameters of grain (crude protein, crude fibre, Ca and Fe), yield and yield attributes were also recorded. Varietal differences were significant with respect to plant height. In Kharif, when plant height was recorded at harvesting, GPU 28 (109.71 cm) and PR 202 (111.07 cm) were superior to all other varieties with statistically comparable values. The shorter varieties were GPU 48 (77.75 cm) and VR 708 (78.39 cm). At this stage in Rabi, CO15 had the tallest plants (100.41 cm). However, PR 202 also had statistically comparable plant height (98.65 cm). VR 708, Maruthi and GPU 48 were statistically on par and were inferior to other varieties with plant height in the range 72.17cm to 73.99cm. The varieties differed significantly with respect to total number of tillers in both the seasons. In general, Rabi crop had a greater number of basal tillers than the Kharif crop. The average number of basal tillers was 5.80 in Kharif and 6.80 in Rabi. In Kharif, variety VR 708 (9.27) was statistically superior with respect to basal tillers produced than other varieties. Variety Vakula produced only 3.6 tillers per plant. In Rabi, the greater number of tillers were produced by VR 708 (10.27) and CO15 (9.93). Total number of tillers showed an increase in most of the varieties, and in Hima and Vakula, a sharp increase in tiller number during Rabi was registered compared to Kharif. Seasonal differences were not pronounced in many varieties with respect to days to flowering but variation to the extent of up to 11 days was noticed in variety GPU 28. On an average, the days to 50 per cent flowering was 69 in Kharif and 72 in Rabi season. In Kharif season, PR 202 took the longest period for 50 percent flowering (79 days). The calcium content in ragi grain showed wide variability among varieties ranging from 326mg/100g to 564 mg/100g over the seasons and Fe content was in a narrow range of 6.25 – 8.91 mg/100g. There was no significant difference in fibre content of various varieties. More productive tillers were produced by CO15 and the minimum number of productive tillers were produced by Maruthi. Wide variations in finger length was observed among varieties and the values ranged from 5.30cm to 11.87 cm in Kharif and 6.23 to 11.97 cm in Rabi season. Vakula had the highest value in both seasons and was significantly superior to all others. The test weight ranged from 1.53 to 3.53 g in Kharif and from 1.51 to 3.25 g in Rabi among the varieties. Variety PR 202 had the highest 1000 grain weight of 3.53g. The average straw yield was 3592 kg/ha in Kharif whereas a higher value of 4010 kg/ha was realized in Rabi. The highest straw yield was for KMR 201(5100 kg/ha & 5141 kg/ha in Kharif and Rabi)) which was on par with GPU 48 (4578 kg/ha) in Kharif. The straw yields were low in Maruthi (3059.7 kg/ha), Vakula (3388.8 kg/ha) and VR 708 (3550 kg/ha) in both seasons. Among the nine varieties tried, six varieties - GPU 48, GPU 28, Hima, CO15 , PR 202 (Godavari) and KMR 201 performed better in Kharif as well as in Rabi season. The variety KMR 201 was found to be superior in terms of yield in both the seasons (3008.3 and 2737 kg/ha, respectively), whereas the white seeded variety Hima was found to be ideal for Rabi season due to its superior yield of 3092 kg/ha . Variety CO15 showed more adaptability to Kharif with grain yield of 2355 kg/ha and the performance was poor in Rabi (1833.33 kg/ha). Three varieties VR 708, Vakula and Maruthi are not ideal varieties for Kerala especially for Kharif season