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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Open Access
Conditions for oxygen-packed transportation of penaeus indicus seed
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1994) Geetha Rani Mani, V; KAU; Jayasree Vadhyar, K
The effect of four levels of packing density, (200PL/1, 300PL/1, 400PL/1 and 500PL/1), three levels of salinity (20ppt, 25ppt and 30ppt) and two levels of temperature (30_+ 1°C and 23 + 2°C) on the oxygen consumption rate of Penaeus indicus post-larvae (PL20) was investigated in a closed type respirometer. The dissolved oxygen in the test chamber decreased with the oxygen consumption of the animals. Oxygen consumption was found to vary with ambient oxygen levels at the different packing densities. Among the three salinities, and two temperatures, the lowest rate of oxygen consumption was recorded at 25ppt and 23 +_ 2°C. The effect of these factors on the duration and survival of transportation of the shrimp seed in specially designed hard plastic containers fitted with facilities for oxygen packing under uniform pressure (0.2 Kg/cm2) showed that oxygen packing in hypothermal conditions could help in increasing duration and survival. Salinity of 20-25ppt was found to give longer duration of survival. With increase in packing density, there was considerable reduction in the duration and survival of transportation of the seed. Cannibalism was observed as the major cause of mortality and it could be reduced by lowering of temperature. 200PL/1 could be transported with 100% survival within 6.5-8.5h at ambient temperature of 30+- 1°C under the afore-mentioned type of oxygen-packing. By lowering the temperature to 23 +-_ 2°C it was possible to safely transport with 100% survival the same numbers for more than 20h. Corresponding duration at 500PL/1 with 100% survival was 1-1.5h at ambient temperature and 4-5h at lowered temperature. To reduce cannibalism at ambient temperatures, hollow plastic translucent habitat material was incorporated into the oxygen-packed jars. This experiment was conducted at 25ppt salinity at different packing densities of 200PL/1, 300PL/1, 400PL/1 and 500PL/1. Relatively longer duration and higher survival was observed only at higher packing densities of 400PL/1 and 500PL/1 with the introduction of the habitat material. Water quality parameters in the experimental jars were analysed initially and finally at 70% survival rate. The reduction in dissolved oxygen levels in the oxygen-packed jars was well above the lethal limits even at the highest packing density of 500PL/1 at 70% survival. The decrease in dissolved oxygen levels and increase in ammonia-N and free carbon dioxide, differed with the duration of packing, temperature and packing density.
Open Access
Effect of different dietary levels of lecithin on growth,survival,moulting and body phospholipid levels in Macrobachium Rosenbergii postlarvae
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1996) Mahesh, S; KAU; Sebastian, M J
The effect of dietary levels of lecithin on growth, survival moulting, FCR and body phospholipid levels of early postlarval freshwater prawn macrobrachium rosen bergii was examined using semi-purified diets in a 56 day feeding experiment. Five casein-egg albumin based semi-purified diets incorporated with 0,2.5,5,7.5 and 10% of purified soy lecithin (60% phosphatidylcholine) were formulated and fed to prawns (ten numbers per treatment) with an initial mean weight of 0.05386g. In order to examine the influence of lecithin at different growth stages of postlarvae the assessment was made every fourteen days during the study period. The result showed that although the overall growth performance was not affected by dietary inclusion of lecithin, SGR% of the prawns fed with the diet containing 2.5% of lecithin showed a significant difference at P<0.01level during the first fourteen days of growth. Similarly the FCR also showed significant variation (P<0.01) between the diets tested in the first and second fortnights (14th and 28th day). In the first fortnight the diets (D1, D2 and D3) produced consistent FCR, while the diets supplemented with higher levels produced higher values. No significant differences (P<0.01) between treatments were detected with regard to survival rate, moulting frequency and body phospholipid levels of the prawns with the termination of the experiment. The prawns moulted once in every night days and no abnormalitied like exuvia entrapment were noticed in any of the experiment animals . Increment of body phospholipids with respect to levels of dietary lecithin suggests a possible replacement of body PL pool with that of dietary PL. The result of the study suggests that supplementation of lecithin at a level of 2.5% in the diet can accelerate growth and improve FCR during the early postlarval phase of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (ie, upto 4 weeks after larval settlement) beyond this, supplementation of lecithin is not needed in the diet. No other deficiency of excess symptoms was detected in the experimental prawns and it is found that lecithin is not responsible for Exuvia Entrapment Disease in Macrobrachium rosenbergii postlarvae.
Open Access
Detritus of plant origin as a food source for Penaeus indicua H. Milne Edwards
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1992) Unnikrishnan, R; KAU; Thampy, D M
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of using plant detritus as an exclusive food source for the juvenile of Penaeus indicus and also to find out the level of its in corporation in a standard diet for the prawn in place of animal protein sources. When four plant detritus were simultaneously presented to p.indicus juvenile of size 25-32 mm and 110-150 mg, they exhibited best preference for detritus from Rhizophora apiculata, followed by chromolaena odorta, Pistia stratiotes and paddy detritus. Two better preferred plant detritus sources viz. R.apiculata and C.odorata, were subjected to bulk digestion and the improvement in protein level by way of microbial growth during the process of decay was recorded. Since C.odorata showed a better protein level (Max.av.25.716%) on the fifteenth day than R.apiculata (Max.av.7.528%) on the twentieth day, C.odorata detritus was used for the next two feeding experiments: the first to find whether it could be used as exclusive protein source and the second to find the level at which this could be used to replace animal protein source in a standard diet for P.indicus. The first feeding experiment, for a period of 28 days, to evaluate the feasibility of using plant detritus as sole protein source revealed that an exclusively detritus based diet is not suitable for P.indicus juveniles. The detritus based diet produced lower survival, growth, protein sufficiency ratio, protein digestability and high food conservation ratio when compared to that of control diet prepared with clam meal. The second experiment done with eight diets for a period of 21 days revealed that plant detritus could be used for substituting upto a level of 50% of the animal protein source in a standard prawn diet, without producing any adverse effect on growth and survival. While, a diet containing 10% plant detritus fared even better than a diet which was totally devoid of detrital protein. The growth, food conversation ratio, protein efficiency, apparent digestibility and protein digestibility values obtained for various diets did not vary significantly upto a stage where 50% of the animal protein was substituted with detrital protein, beyond which the values declined. The best values were obtained for the diet FD2 and the lowest for the diet FD8.
Open Access
Effect of different diets on growth and survival of angel fish Pterophyllum scalare (Lichtenstein) fry
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1997) Neelakanteswar, A; KAU; Mathew, P M
The effect of different diets on the growth and survival of Angel fish, Pterophyllum sealare (Lichtenstein) larvae was studied. One day old free swimming hatchlings were used in the study for a period of 30 days. The different diets used were Artemia nauplii, Moina micrura, artificial diet, Artemia nauplii + Moina micrura and Artemia nauplii + artificial diet, with four replicates for each treatment. The experiment was repeated twice in order todetermine the consistency of the result. The results showed that the growth of larvae, in terms of gain in length and weight and specific growth rate, was maximum with the mixed diet of live foods. The differences in growth between artificial diet and mixed diet of Artemia nauplii + artificial diet were not consistent. No significant difference was found in the survival rate of larvae fed different diets. O:N ratios showed that the nutritional state of the larvae fed artificial diet was more or less similar to that fed mixed diet of Artemia nauplii + artificial diet, which in turn was comparable with that fed live foods. Thus, the artificial diet has been found to be an effective replacement diet in the larval rearing of Angel fish.
Open Access
Protein requirement of the postlarvae and juveniles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man)
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1992) Sahadevan, P; KAU; Sebastian, M J
Three sets of experiments were conducted with the postlarvae and juveniles of the giant freshwater prawn. Macrobrachiumrosenbergii (De Man). The first experiment was conducted to determine the quantitative protein requirement of the two life stages of the prawn using casein and amino acid based purified diets having graded levels (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50%)of protein. Each experiment was conducted for 40 days and the effect of protein concentration on the survival, growth, food intake, food conversion efficiency, protein digestibility, nitrogen exeretion, nitrogen retension, body carcass composition, efficiency of protein utilization and oxygen – nitrogen ratio was studied. Among the different diets the one with 30% protein produced the best results in the postlarvae and juveniles of the prawn. Using second order polynomial regression analysis and differential calculus methods the protein requirement for maximum growth in the postlarvae and juveniles of the prawn was calculated as 34.5 and 28.5% respectively. In absolute terms these represent 787.9 and 529.0mg protein per 100g body weight of the prawn per day. The economic protein requirement of the postlarvae and juveniles was found to be 27.5 and 23.0% respectively. The maintenance protein requirement of the postlarvae and juveniles was determined to be 17.95 and 18.69mg protein per 100g body weight per day assuming an efficiency of utilization of protein very close to 100%. The metabolic faecal nitrogen excretion was found to be 198 and 151mg N per 100g body weight per day for the postlarvae and juveniles respectively. In the second set of experiments, short term (10 days each) studies were conducted to determine the efficiency of assimilation of certain locally available sources of protein by the postlarvae and juveniles of M. rosenbergii. These experiments were conducted also to help fix the levels of protein to be maintained in the third set of experiments. The protein sources evaluated were casein, prawn meat, clam meat, soybean, ground nut oil cake and black gram. The results of the study indicated that the apparent protein digestibility is not influenced by animal or plant origin of the ingredient. The third set of experiments was conducted to evaluate the effect of substitution of protein of animal origin with that of plant origin in the postlarvae and juveniles of M. rosenbergii. Each experiment was conducted for 40 days and on the basis of data on survival, growth, food intake, food conversion efficiency, protein digestibility, carcass composition, efficiency of protein utilization and oxygen – nitrogen ratio, substitution of 50 and 75% protein of animal origin with that of plant origin was found to result in no significant decline in the overall performance of the postlarvae and juveniles respectively of M. rosenbergii.
Open Access
Evaluation of supplementary feeds and optimum ration for Chanos chanos (Forskal) fry
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1991) Elizabeth, Chrolin; KAU; Susheela, Jose
The present study was conducted in C. chanos fry,to evaluate the efficacy and keeping quality of supplementary feeds compounded from five different protein sources viz., fish meal ( FM ), squid meal (SQM), clam meal (CM), prawnhead waste meal (PHM) and soybean meal (SYM). All the feeds used in the study were isocalorific (3.13 - 3.33 Kcal/g) and isonitrogenous (39.78 - 40.44% crude protein). The quality of feed after four months of storage was satisfactory as there was not much variation in their nutrient contents. The FCR of fish fed on various supplementary feeds for 42 days were 1.74, 2.94, 3.65, 5.32 and 10.9 for CM, SQM, FM, SYM and PHM, Respectively. The PER, protein digestibility co-efficient and 0: N ratio indicate that protein from clam meal is better utilized for growth Purposes than those from others. The PER value ranged from 0.23 (PHM) to 1.45 (CM). The protein digestibility co-efficient, for CM, SQM, FM, SYM and PHM were 97.24,91,86, 86.56, 77.78 and 65.23%, respectively. The 0: N ratio was highest (10.769:1) for fish fed on CM. It seems that C. chanos fry digest lipid from animal protein sources better (digestibility values ranging from 84.17% (PHM) to 98.8% (CM)) than that from plant source SYM (47.49%).The biochemical composition of fish Showed maximum synthesis of protein and deposition of fat in fish fed on CM, followed by SQM, and the least in fish fed on PHM. The evaluation of supplementary feeds based on survival rate, gain in length and weight, and specific growth rate indicate the superior performance of animal protein sources (except prawn head waste meal) to plant source. The highest gain in growth was attained by fish fed on CM, followed by SQM and FM. Performance of fish fed on SYM was not satisfactory, while PHM was a poor feed for C. chanos fry. The optimum food ration of fry is at 5.2% of the body weight when fed with CM, twice a day, at 4-6 ppt salinity.
Open Access
Differential growth in the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) during nursery rearing phase
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1997) Mainuddin, Ahmed; KAU; Thampy, D M
The present study was conducted on freshwater prawn Macrobrachiumrosenbergii (De Man) to find the effect of stocking density and provision of additional substrates in rearing tanks, on differential growth among different size groups of juveniles during early growth phase. The first experiment conducted with various stocking densities ranging from 25 to 800 nos/m2 had revealed that the differential growth and the average size of the post larvae were inversely proportional to the stocking density; however the total biomass production was directly related to the stocking density. The survival rate was not much affected by variation in the stocking density, being almost uniform (87 – 100%) among various treatments. The second experiment has shown that provision of additional substrates could not help to reduce differential growth, rather it enhanced it. However it helped to enhance the average growth, total biomass production and the survival rate. The size grading of juveniles after an initial nursery rearing period of 35 days, into four groups such as small, medium, large and a recombined control group and growing them separately for another 35 days has revealed that the size grading helped in reducing the differential growth and increasing the total biomass production, but could not help to increase the survival rate. It was found that the total biomass production in large size group was about four times higher than that of the small size group and about two times than that of the control group, indicating that growing M. rosenbergii juveniles in grow out systems after size grading and discarding the smaller size group, will be advantageous for increasing production. The male secondary sex character, the appendix masculine was found to appear after 154 days of metamorphosis, when the prawn had reached a size of 6.2 cm and 1.75 g. An allometric pattern of growth was observed in case of appendix masculine wherein a higher ratio of 1:1.34 was recorded in comparison to 1:1.14 of that of the endopod of the second pleopod, in the subsequent moult.
Open Access
Effects of various growth promoters in the diets of macrobrachium rosenbergii post larvae
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1994) Boby Ignatius; KAU; Susheela Jose
The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of various growth promoters on the growth of Macrobrachium rosenbergii post larvae. The various growth promoters tried were antibiotic oxytetracycline, thyroid hormone thyroxine and the enzyme papain. Each growth promoter was incorporated in a casein based purified diet having a protein content of 36%.In the second experiment, the optimum level of growth promoter which showed the best performance in the first experiment was determined. The growth increment of prawns fed on casein based purified diets incorporated with antibiotic oxytetracyc1ine designated as diet T1 was 43.66mg, it was 35.064 mg for diet T2 - containing thyroid, and 32.172 mg for diet T3- containing papain. The growth increment for the control diet was seen to be 26.72 mg. Specific growth rate of the prawns from different treatments ranged from 1.73 to 2.52; with control diet showing the lowest and T1 the highest. Incorporation of the growth promoters in the feed has markedly reduced the food conversion ratio of the animals. Lowest FCR was obtained for the post larvae fed with oxytetracycline, while the highest was for the control, the range being 2.94 to 4.36. The protein efficiency ratio was highest being 0.9770 for the feeds containing oxytetracycline. The PER values for the control diet T0, diet T2 with thyroid, diet T3 with papain were found to be 0.6566, 0.8541 and 0.7576 respectively. Productive protein values were 8.995 for control diet, 13.4763 for diet with oxytetracycline, 11.7710 for diet with thyroid hormone and 10.4266 for diet with papain enzyme. The average survival rate during the experiment was 69.5%. The animals fed on antibiotic incorporated feed gave maximum survival of 72%, while the lowest rate of 66% was observed for thyroxine incorporated feed (T2). Analysis of the data on the various growth parameters in the experiment reveals that the antibiotic oxytetracycline gives better growth amongst the different growth promoters used. In the experiment II, four different levels of oxytetracycline were tested to find out the optimum level. The result of the study showed that, 10 mg/lOOg of feed is the optimum level of oxytetracycline which give maximum growth in Macrobrachium rosenbergii post larvae as indicated by overall growth , specific growth rate, food conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio.
Open Access
Growth and survival of Penaeus monodon Fabricius juveniles fed on diet at different levels of replacement of clam meat with de-oiled silkworm pupae
(Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1998) Sreeja Menon; KAU; Susheela Jose
The present study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of replacing clam meat either partially or completely with de-oiled silkworm pupae in the diet of the black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon juveniles. Proximate analysis of the ingredients used in the preparation of formulated pelleted feed showed that de-oiled silkworm pupae contained 57.2% crude protein, while clam meat contained 53.22% crude protein. Six test diets were prepared with different levels of inclusion of clam meal and de-oiled silkworm pupae; the other ingredients being groundnut oil cake, tapioca powder, starch, cholsterol, vitamins and minerals. Diet T! contained 100% clam meal and 0% de-oiled silkworm pupae, diet T2 80% clam meal and 20% de-oiled silkworm pupae, diet T3 60<% clam meal and 40% de-oiled silkworm pupae, diet T 4 40% clam meal and 60% de-oiled silkworm pupae, diet T, 20% clam meal and 80% de-oiled silkworm pupae and diet T6 0% clam meal and 100% de-oiled silkworm pupae. All the feeds were isonitrogenous with crude protein content ranging between 34.89% and 35% and isocaloric with caloric value ranging from 3.83 to 4.06 Kcal/g. Water stability levels of the pelletcd feeds were found to be satisfactory ranging from ~3.8% (T!) to 89.34% (T6) at the end of six hours. Penaeus monodon juveniles were reared for six weeks in experimental tanks. The water quality parameters were maintained well within the tolerance limits of P. monodon juveniles throughout the course of the study. The highest growth 141 (1.5282g) was recorded in shrimp juvenile~ fed with diet Tj , followed by diet T2 (1.4886g) and the lowest with diet T6 (0.7350g). Analysis of variance of the data showed that there is no significant difference (pzO.05) between treatments T, and T 2. No statistically significant- difference (PzO. 05) could be discerned in specific growth rate of shrimp juveniles of treatmentsT land T 2. The highest survival (93.33%) was obtained in P. monodon juveniles fed with diet T, and lowest (83.333%) with diets T, and T6. The food conversion ratios (FCR) obtained with different feeds range from 2.52 to 6.89. The lowest FCR was recorded with diet T, (2.52) followed by diet Tz (2.5466) and the lowest with diet T 6 (6.89). Statistically no significant difference (pzO.05) in FCRs of treatments T, and Tz was observed. Protein efficiency ratio was found to be highest in shrimp juveniles fed on diet T, (1.1398) followed by diet T2 (1.1255) and the lowest with diet T6 (0.4168). No statistically significant difference (pzO.05) was observed in protein efficiency ratios of treatment T land T 2. Productive protein value was found to be highest in shrimp juveniles fed on diet Tl (3.7917) followed by diet T2 (2.6149) and the lowest with diet T6 (0.3881).

Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

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