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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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20131
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Subject: Biotechnology and Molecular Biology × Author: KAU × Author: Manibala Kumari ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    DNA fingerprinting of selected chilli (Capsicum spp.) varieties
    (Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2013) Manibala Kumari; KAU; Kesavachandran, R
    Chilli (Capsicum spp.) is considered as one of the most important commercial spice crops and is a widely used universal spice, named as the wonder spice. It is raised over an area of 18 lakh ha. in the world, with a production of 29 lakh t. India is not only the largest producer but also the largest consumer of chilli in the world. The study entitled “DNA fingerprinting of selected chilli (Capsicum spp.) varieties” was carried out at the Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, College of Horticulture during the period 2012-2013. The objectives of the study were to characterize the released chilli varieties of KAU using different molecular markers- RAPD, ISSR and SSR and to develop DNA fingerprint with which the variety could be identified and its fidelity detected. Six chilli varieties, namely Ujwala, Anugraha, Jwalamukhi, Jwalasakhi, Vellayani Athulya and Vellayani Samrudhi collected from CoH, Vellanikkara and CoA, Vellayani and maintained at CPBMB, CoH were used for the study. Morphological parameters of six chilli varieties were taken such as stem colour, branching habit, leaf size, leaf colour, fruit colour, fruit shape and fruit surface. DNA extraction was done by CTAB (Rogers and Bendich, 1994) method. The RNA contamination was completely removed through RNase treatment. Good quality DNA with UV absorbance ratio (A 260 /A ) 1.80 - 1.91 was used for further analysis. The PCR conditions were optimized for RAPD, ISSR and SSR assays. Thirty RAPD, 30 ISSR and 30 SSR primers were screened with bulked DNA of Ujwala, Anugraha and Jwalamukhi variety for amplification and those which gave reliable distinct banding patterns were selected for further amplification and fingerprinting. The PCR products obtained from RAPD, ISSR and SSR analyses were separated on two per cent agarose gel and the amplification patterns were recorded. Genomic DNA from each variety was amplified with ten selected primers of RAPD, ISSR and SSR primer pairs. The amplification patterns were scored and depicted to develop DNA fingerprint for each variety. The Resolving power (Rp) worked out for the different primers ranged between 8.33 (S 12) to 12.9 (OPAH 06) for RAPD primers and 8.66 (SPS 03) to 14.33 (ISSR 07) for ISSR primers, indicating the capacity of the primers selected to distinguish the varieties. The Polymorphic Information Content (PIC) varied from 0.80 (S 12) to 0.86 (OPAH 06) for RAPD primers and it was 0.82 (SPS 03) to 0.88 (UBC 840) for ISSR primers. Distinct bands were used to develop DNA fingerprint of chilli varieties (Ujwala, Anugraha, Jwalamukhi, Jwalasakhi, Vellayani Athulya and Vellayani Samrudhi) through RAPD, ISSR and SSR analyses. Sharing of amplicons developed for each primer with other varieties was also analyzed and demarcated with different colour codes in the fingerprints developed. Most of the amplicons were found shared among the varieties. However, the pattern of sharing was different and good enough to separate out the varieties. Combined DNA fingerprint for each variety with RAPD, ISSR and SSR data was also developed. The amplification patterns observed in RAPD, ISSR and SSR analyses were scored and analyzed for quantifying the variability among the varieties. The computer software NTSYS-Pc was used for cluster analysis (Rohlf, 2005). Maximum variability observed was 41 per cent for the variety Vellayani Samrudhi. The varieties Ujwala and Anugraha indicated 91 per cent similarity. The fingerprint developed was sufficient to provide varietal identity and the analysis could reveal variability/ relatedness among the six varieties.