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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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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Ecofriendly pest management in Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture,Vellayani, 2000) Annie Bernice, T S; KAU; Krishnakumar, R
    A survey was conducted in the important brinjal growing tracts of Thiruvananthapuram district to study the population dynamics of the pests and their natural enemies in the brinjal ecosystem. Laboratory experiment and field experiments were conducted in the College of Agriculture, Vellayani to assess the deterrency and toxicity of the different treatments on aphids, epilachna and Leucinodes which were identified as important pests of brinjal from the survey and the effective treatments as identified from the laboratory experiment were carried out in the field. =<; Malathion alone or with garlic was found to be toxic to aphids. Epilachna and Leucinodes. The treatments with neem oil and Hyptis suaveolens either alone and in combination were found to have deterrent and toxic effects on aphids, Epilachna and Leucinodes in the laboratory experiment. However, the effect was much pronounced when neem oil activated with garlic was used in combination with Hyptis suaveolens. In the field, though malathion was found to contain the pests, the effect was not persistent for a long time and hence was not effective in the long run. The combination of neem oil + garlic plus Hyptis suaveolens was found to offer protection for the pest for a long period of time. On par with it were combination of nee m oil plus Hyptis suaveolens + garlic and combination of neem oil + H. suaveolens. The botanicals were also found to be safe for the natural enemies like coccinellids, staphylinids and spiders. This treatment was also found superior to other treatments in terms of net income and benefit cost ratio and the lower unit cost of the treatment with high yield was precisely the reason for its superiority.