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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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2010 - 20122
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Subject: Aquaculture × Author: KAU × Start date: 1962 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Integrated culture of fish with micropropagated plants in a recirculatory system
    (Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries,Panangad, 2012) Navya, R; KAU; Devika Pillai
    An experiment was designed to study an integrated recirculatory sytem with micropropagated aquarium plants, fish and indigenous filter materials like coir, vetiver and bamboo as the filter media. The plants selected for the study were Bacopa caroliniana, Anubias minima, Aponogeton ulvaceus, Rotala rotundifolia and Nymphoides cristata. The first part of the work was to standardise the micropropagation techniques for the above said plants. Murashige and Skoog medium (half and full strength) was used as the basal medium for the establishment of cultures. The explants varied from nodal segments, rhizome buds, leaf petioles and lateral buds. Surface sterilization was carried out with a range of sterilants like mercuric chloride solution, ethyl alcohol, sodium hypochlorite solution etc. for varying durations and concentrations depending on the type of explant. Effect of growth regulators on explants were studied using auxin IAA and cytokinins, BA and Kn. A liquid culture media with 1.5mg l-1 BA and 0.1mg l-1 Kn concentrations was the best medium for Bacopa caroliniana. A combination of auxin cytokinin like 1.5 mg l-1 BA and 1.0 mg l-1 IAA in liquid culture was the best medium for Rotala rotundifolia. In Nymphoides cristata, hormone concentration of 1.0 mg l-1 each of BA and IAA in liquid culture gave the best results. In Anubias minima, a full MS solid medium with 6.0 mg l-1 of BA gave better results compared to lower levels of BA. In vitro trials for Aponogeton ulvaceus was not successful due to the exudation of phenolic extracts in all the treatments which eventually lead to the death of the tissues. Hardening success was 90 percent, 100 percent, 70 percent, 100 percent in the case of Anubias minima, Nymphoides cristata, Rotala rotundifolia and Bacopa caroliniana respectively. The micropropagated plants were incorporated in the recirculatory system along with fish and three different biofilter materials like coir, vetiver and bamboo splits. The study focused mainly on the filtering efficiency of the three filters based on the nitrification curves. The plants were included in the system to be a part of biofilter and their exclusive role in nitrification was not studied since this is a preliminary work. A nitification graph was plotted with the observed values of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in the three different biofilter systems and compared with a control. It was inferred that coir fibres were the best of filter materials tried in nitrification followed by bamboo and vetiver. The control system took more time (45 days) in stabilizing ammonia levels due to lack of a substratum for growing nitrifying bacteria.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterization of different stocks of Macrobrachium rosenbergii and development of genetically improved strain through selective breeding
    (Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 2010) Shyla, G; KAU; Mohanakumaran Nair
    Giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man, 1879) is an important species suitable for culture in inland and low saline coastal water bodies. Information on the genetic structure and variation among cultured species are essential for genetic approaches to optimize conservation strategies and breeding programmes for improving stocks. DNA based markers can be used to assess more precisely the genetic variations in the entire genome. Natural populations of M. rosenbergii inhabiting the rivers in different geographical areas of India show wide variation in morphological traits and economic characters. The present work envisages studying the genetic diversity of wild populations of M. rosenbergii collected from different parts of India through phenotypic characters and molecular marker studies. It also aims to develop a superior strain by combining the desirable characters through selective breeding. In this study genetic characterization of Andhra Pradesh (AP), Orissa (OR) and Kerala (KR) stocks of Macrobrachium rosenbergii were done with RAPD and Microstellite markers. Marker analysis showed variation between stocks and AP showed more genetic distance from OR and KR populations.Moreover KR stock from Achankoil River showed slight similarity with AP. Phenotypic trait analysis was done with three stocks. Egg diameter, larval hatch fecundity, larval rearing period, survival rate and larval length were estimated. Highest egg diameter and hatch fecundity were shown by OR and KR populations. AP showed minimum larval rearing period and maximum survival rate. Maximum larval length was for KR. Stress tolerance studies were conducted in V and X stage of M.rosenbergii larvae with temperature, salinity, formaldehyde and ammonia to estimate the relative differences in the ability of different populations to withstand stressed conditions. Among base population KR population showed highest tolerance towards temperature, salinity, formaldehyde and ammonia.Stage wise tolerance variations also found in all populations. X stage showed more tolerance to all stressors except ammonia. Comparison of other economically important parameters such as disease resistance, quality of flesh, percentage survival, growth rate, percentage morphotypes and head tail ratio were also done. Disease resistance was tested with white tail virus and bacteria (Enterococcus aerogenes) by challenge study. In both studies KR population exhibited better tolerance than other populations. Prophenoloxidase activity and total haemocyte count was also estimated in infected prawns to check the immune response. Here again KR showed higher activity and count. Flesh quality of three populations was estimated by carcass proximate analysis. In this study, no variation in body composition was shown by three stocks. Percentage survival rate and weight gain of three populations in cage were estimated. Maximum survival rate was found in AP and highest growth was found in KR stock. Analysis of percentage morphotypes of various populations showed the maximum OC for AP and SM for OR stock, with no significant variations in percentage BC and female prawns, head tail ratio, which was calculated to find out the yield of meat revealed the least ratio for KR. Large healthy prawns of the three stocks were selected from families showing better performance. Breeding experiment was conducted to produce six crosses viz. Andhra Pradesh (male)×Orissa (female) APOR, Orissa (male) × Andhra Pradesh (female) ORAP, Andhra Pradesh (male) × Kerala (female) APKR, Kerala (male) × Andhra Pradesh (female) KRAP, Orissa (male) × Kerala (female) ORKR, Kerala (male) × Orissa (female) KROR. Different phenotypic characters and economically important traits of F1 generations of hybrids were also studied. KROR showed better egg diameter, hatch fecundity, larval survival rate and larval length. But larval rearing period was minimum for APKR. KROR showed resistance to viral and bacterial diseases, which was similar to that of KR and better than other hybrids. In cage culture APOR showed better survival rate, while growth rate was significantly higher for KROR, which was more than that of base populations. Analysis of percentage morphotypes showed a similar pattern as that of base populations. Lower head -tail weight ratio was shown by KROR, which was lower than that of KR. Estimation and comparison of heritability of weight of three better performing hybrids were done. From the data it was found that maximum heritability of weight was for KROR (.75) followed by APKR (.161) and APKR exhibited no heritability.