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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: Entomology × Author: Beena Nair × End date: 1999 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Infestation reactions and management of Helopeltis theivora (Waterhouse) (Miridae:Hemiptera) in cocoa clones
    (Department of Entomology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1998) Beena Nair; KAU; Baby, P Skaria
    Investigations were carried out at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara to identity sources of resistance to the cocoa mirid bug He/ope/lis theivora (Waterhouse) among the various high yielding cocoa clones and also to develop an effective and safer management strategy against the pest using insecticides. In the field trial, seven hybrids and eight parental clones were evaluated for their tolerance to the mirids at different developmental stages of the pods and on flushes. The pod damage intensity was moderate to low, the range being 0.25 to 5.84 per cent and in this situation the resistance traits could not be properly quantified. However, the parental trees 01-5.9 and GYl-68 and the hybrids involving these trees showed a moderate level of resistance. The clones M-l3.12 and GI-15.5 were found to be relatively more susceptible to the pest. The correlation studies have established the positive correlation between the yield of pods on the one hand and the intensity of damage to the pods and the vegetative flushes on the other. The various pod characters such as length, width, weight, pericarp thickness, wet bean weight and number of beans per pod did not show any influence on the intensity of pod infestation. 'The performance of the various clones in respect of the yield of pods and beans have been discussed in the light of variations in the intensity of damage to the pods and vegetative flushes. The susceptibility of clones with higher number of pods was detected in the correlation studies. The hybrid GI-S.9 x GVI-68 which produced 23 pods per tree on an average showed lower levels of damage by the mirid bug on the pods and also on flushes indicating a moderate level of resistance coupled with high pod number in this clone. The pod number was also found correlated with total wet bean yield per tree, height and spread of the tree. With respect to higher wet bean yield the parental clone GYI-68 ranked first with 1937.47 g followed by M-13.12, GVI-64, GVI-6I, M-13.J2 x GJ-S.9 and GI-S.9 x GVI-68. The crosses GJ-IO.3 x GVI-61 and 01-5.9 x GVl-54 recorded very low bean yields. However, the high yielding and low yielding clones showed varied reactions to the infestation by H. theivora. With regard to the management of H. theivora using insecticides the spray application of carbaryl at 1.25 kg ai/ha and monocrotophos at 0.5 kg ai/ha was most effective. However, considering the higher persistent toxicity of monocrotophos, carbaryl is recommended for field applications.