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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: Animal Genetics and Breeding × Author: Amrita Susan, Jacob × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic diversity analysis of goat breeds using microsatellite markers
    (Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2005) Amrita Susan, Jacob; KAU; Aravindakshan, T V
    The study was undertaken to assess the genetic variability among four goat breeds of South India using microsatellite markers. Three breeds studied were native to Kerala. These were Malabari, Attappadi Black and non-descript goats of Thrissur. The fourth breed, Salem Black, originated in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu. Microsatellite analysis was carried out using four highly polymorphic bovine markers. Blood samples from 30 genetically unrelated animals of each breed were collected and used as a source of DNA. The phenol-chloroform extraction procedure was used and the mean yield of DNA obtained was 361.43±10.73 µg/five ml blood. The four markers selected for the study were, INRA63, ILSTS030, HUJII77 and BM6121. PCR conditions were standardised for all the primers. The forward primer of each primer pair used in the PCR assay was end labeled with γ32P-ATP prior to setting up of the PCR. M13 DNA was sequenced and used as the size standard. The PCR products were separated by denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Detection of the products was done by autoradiography. Gels after electrophoresis were dried and was set for autoradiography with X-ray film in a cassette fitted with intensifying screen. Allele sizes were obtained by comparing with the sequence of M13 single stranded DNA size standard. A total of eleven alleles were detected at the INRA63 locus. The mean heterozygosity and PIC values obtained were 0.774 and 0.743, respectively. Seventeen alleles were detected at the ILSTS30 locus. The mean values of heterozygosity and PIC were 0.878 and 0.866, respectively. Thirteen alleles were detected at the BM6121 locus with mean heterozygosity and PIC values of 0.851 and 0.833, respectively. The HUJII77 locus was the most polymorphic of all the four loci detecting 21 alleles. The mean heterozygosity and PIC values were 0.899 and 0.88, respectively. The allele frequency measures were used to estimate the Nei’s standard genetic distance among the populations using the PHYLIP package. The distance measures ranged from 0.388 to 0.224, with the highest value noticed between Salem Black and non-descript goats of Thrissur and the lowest between Malabari and non-descript animals. A dendrogram was constructed using the POPGENE program which grouped the Salem Black and Attappadi Black goats in one cluster and Malabari and the non-descript goats of Thrissur in another.