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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: Climate Change Adaptation × Author: Aarathy, G S × Start date: 2012 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Assessment of 'Blue carbon' in sediment of Indian mangrove (Avicennia Officinalis) in selected locations of Vembanadad lake ecosystem in Kerala
    (Academy of Climate Change Education and Research, Vellanikkara, 2018) Aarathy, G S; KAU; Prema, D
    The present investigation, focused on the estimation of the sediment pool of the blue carbon stocks of the mangrove species Avicennia officinalis (Indian Mangrove) in selected locations of Vembanad lake. Sediment core samples were collected in post monsoon (October – November 2017) and pre monsoon (February – March 2018). The treatments included ‘aged’, ‘recent’, ‘healthy’ and ‘degraded’ mangroves of the selected species and ‘control’ without mangroves. Sediment core samples up to 30 cm depth with 10 cm interval were subjected to standard laboratory and statistical analytical procedures. The cumulative stock of blue carbon in sediment ranged from 6.00 to 139.96 Mg ha -1 in post monsoon and 2.00 to 84.58 Mg ha -1 in pre monsoon. The treatments differed significantly in the cumulative stock of blue carbon in sedimen (p < 0.05), highest seen in ‘healthy’ at 0-30 cm depth in both seasons. Highly significant difference was observed between ‘healthy’ and ‘degraded’, ‘healthy’ having more stock in both seasons. These two treatments differed significantly for layer wise blue carbon in sediment also in both seasons, higher content being seen in ‘healthy’ and there was no significant variation among depths. The range of layer wise blue carbon in sediment, considering all treatments was 0.06 to 0.56 g cm-3 in post monsoon and 0.02 to 0.35 g cm-3 in pre monsoon. Significant difference among treatments was observed at 0-10 cm depth for layer wise blue carbon in two seasons together, and no significant variation was found in sub surface (10-20 cm and 20-30 cm) depth. Spatial maps were prepared for the cumulative stock of blue carbon and layer wise blue carbon in sediment during post monsoon and pre monsoon seasons. The cumulative stock and layer wise blue carbon were higher in post monsoon. Depth wise increase was seen in layer wise blue carbon in post monsoon, though they were not statistically significant. Layer wise blue carbon was significantly correlated with total organic carbon and organic matter (p < 0.01) positively and with C/N ratio in the sediment (p < 0.05). The study suggests total organic carbon and C/N ratio as possible predictive indicators of blue carbon in sediment, with further investigation.