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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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1979 - 197911980 - 19892
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Subject: Botany × End date: 1989 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic studies in red gram (eafanui caiaixL)
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1988) Radhakrishnan, V V; KAU; Narayanan Namboodiri, K N
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic studies in sweet potato (ipomoea batatas(l.)lam.) a biometric approach
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1979) Joseph, C A; KAU; Mary George, K
    In a varietal evaluation of 40 varieties of sweet potato all the 15 characters studied showed highly significant differences among the varieties. This was also expressed in the higher phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation. The high degree of variability especially in tuber characters offers scope for recombining desirable genes from different varieties. Tuber yield showed significant positive correlation with number of tubers, tuber diameter and harvest index, and significant negative correlation with internode length, vine length and top weight. Path-coefficient analysis revealed that among the first order components of tuber yield, tuber diameter, length and number and top weight had high positive direct effects while leaf area index had a negative direct effect. A comparison of the direct and indirect effects of first and second order components revealed that while selecting for high yielding types, a balanced approach may be adopted with regard to the different yield attributes. Genetic divergence in the available germ plasm was estimated using the Mahalanobis' D2 statistic and based on this the 40 varieties were grouped into 12 clusters. The number of verities in each cluster ranged from one to eight. The divergence between different clusters was not always due to divergence in the same set of characters but a combination of different sets of characters. Out of the fifteen characters studied seven viz., tuber diameter, vine length, number of branches, number of tubers, tuber yield, top weight and number of leaves accounted for more than 80 per cent of the divergence in the material. Canonical analysis also more or less confirmed the grouping of the verities made by Tocher's method. Eight varieties selected on the basis of genetic divergence were used for progeny studies. All these varieties were found to be completely self-incompatible. It is observed that time of pollination markedly affected fruit and seed set. Maximum fruit and seed set was obtained between 7 and 7.30 a.m. And it progressively decreased as time passes. The weather conditions prevailing during the period of anthesis and pollination also influenced fruit and seed set. Maximum, minimum and mean temperature had significant negative correlation with both fruit and seed set. Path-coefficient anaysis revealed that most of the weather elements studied had negative direct effect on fruit and seed set. The total contribution of weather elements alone on fruit and seed set worked out to 40 and 32.5 percent respectively and hence any study on incompatibility and sterility in sweet potato may be conducted under controlled environmental conditions for reliable results. Genetic analysis of quantitative characters was done utilising line x tester and open pollinated progenies of the eight selected varieties. In the open pollinated progenies, existence of non- additive and environmental effects were observed in top weight, vine length, tuber diameter and leaf area index, and additive effects in number of leaves, number of tubers and tuber yield. In the line x tester progenies, additive variance was high compared to non- additive components in all the characters except the number of branches. The regression coefficients of progenies on male and mid- parental values were significant in seven out of ten characters in the line x teater progenies and in four characters on female parental values in the open pollinated progenies. The standardised regression coefficients reduced the magnitude and variability in the regression coefficients to some extent. The estimates of broad sense heritability from the varietal evaluation was higher in magnitude for most of the characters than the estimates of narrow sense heritability obtained from components of variance in open pollinated and line x tester progenies. Tuber yield showed 70.61 and 43.65 per cent heritability from the components of variance analyses in the open pollinated and line x tester progenies respectively, while number of tubers showed 82.75 and 70.07 per cent heritability. The variance between males was significant in respect of top weight, vine length, number of leaves, number of tubers, tuber diameter, leaf area index and harvest index, while the variance between females was significant only in tuber length. Significant reciprocal differences were observed in top weight, number of tubers, leaf area index and harvest index. With respect to general combining ability significant positive effects were observed in number of tubers in the varieties J.29 and H.42, tuber length in Palchakram and H.42, tuber diamter in IB.40 and Chakkaravalli and harvest index in J.29 and Palchakram. Significant heterotic effects were observed in a number of vine and tuber characters in both hybrid and open pollinated progenies. Seven hybrid progenies showed significant increase in tuber yield which ranged from 31.25 to 84.63 per cent over the higher parental values. Both hybrid and open pollinated progenies gave heterotic combinations for economic characters. The varieties which gave heterotic progenies by open pollination have performed well in certain hybrid combinations also. Considering the difficulties in the large scale hybridization and production of hybrid seedling, it is suggested that open pollination in selected varieties especially good combiners can be adopted as a quick and efficient method for varietal improvement in sweet potato
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genic manipulations in sweet potato adopting induced mutations
    (Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture,Vellayani, 1989) Suma Bai D I; Krishnan Nair N
    An experiment was conducted at the Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1987-1989 for genetic manipulations in sweet potato through gamma ray induced mutagenesis for increased variability and to isolate out genotypes having wider adaptability and better performance. Stem cuttings of 8 to 10 cm length bearing two nodes each, taken from fifteen sweet potato varieties were used for radiosensitivity analysis. Gamma irradiation was done by a 60 Co gamma cell unit installed in the Radio Tracer Laboratory of Kerala Agricultural University, Trichur. The material was subjected to exposure of 2-10 kR at intervals of 2 kR. The chosen dose rate was 0.162 MR/h. The direct effect of doses on the material was assessed on the basis of days to start sprouting, days to complete sprouting, sprouting percentage, vine length, branch and tuber number and weight of tubers per vine. The exposures above 4 kR caused lethality in the majority of the varieties and hence comparative analysis for ratiosensitivity was assessed at the 2 kR level. The gamma ray exposed population started sprouting late. The days taken for completion of sprouting were also more in all the varieties. Gamma rays, in addition, reduced the sprouting percentage. The percentage lethality varied depending on variety. The vine length and number of branches per vine also varied from variety to variety. They were found to be comparatively less in treated population. The tuber number and weight of tubers per vine were found to be significantly increased by gamma irradiation at 2 kR. Based on the above observations the fifteen varieties were classified into three, viz. low, medium and high radiation sensitive categories. Induced mutagenesis was done in continuation with the radiosensitivity analysis using three varieties, each selected from the low, medium and high radiation tolerant groups. The planting materials selected for gamma irradiation included fresh cuttings, rooted cuttings and rooted tubers which were exposed to radiation at a range of 500 – 2500 r, at 500 r intervals. The dose rate was 0.162 MR/h. The irradiated materials along with the control were planted on the subsequent day. In vM1 generation the direct effect of gamma rays was assessed based on days taken to start sprouting, days taken to complete sprouting, sprouting percentage, lethality on the 30th day of planting and at harvest, vine length, branch number per vine, fresh weight of vine, tuber number per vine, weight, length, girth and volume of tuber and tuber yield per vine. From vM1 plants 3-4 noded cuttings were taken from the basal, middle and top portions for raising vM2 generation. VM3 and vM4 generations were also raised in the same manner. In vM2, vM3 and vM4 generations the yield parameters were analysed in detail. Classification of the phenotypes and frequency analysis were also done. The salient findings of the experiment are the following: There was a delay in sprount initiation and for completion of sprouting caused by gamma ray exposure. A decrease in sprouting percentage and an increase in lethality were noticed under higher levels of exposures. Similarly a reduction in vine length and branch number per vine were found at higher exposures. The fresh weight of vine was reduced and the tuber number increased at higher exposures. There was an increase in mean tuber weight, length, girth, volume and tuber yield per vine at higher exposures. All the exposures and the different modes of treatment induced phenotypic variants both in negative and positive directions. Positive variants were in higher frequency in later generations. Irradiation of rooted cuttings was found to be more economical or beneficial compared to fresh cuttings and rooted tubers. The study enabled to isolate out two promising types, one each from S5 and Bhadrakalichuvala. These mutants outyielded the control and are being multiplied by vine cuttings for farm trials in different agroecological milieus of the State.