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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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1982 - 198912
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Subject: Entomology × Author: KAU × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1980 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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Now showing 1 - 9 of 12
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Integrated control of fruit fly Dacus cucurbitae Coq: Trypetidae: Diptera on bitter gourd
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1989) Jalaja, P N; KAU; Remamony, K S
    Bittergourd is very popular among the vegetable growers in Kerala. Fruit flies take a heavy toll of this crop and intense use of pesticides is a common practice of cultivators often leading to serious residue hazards in the marketed fruits. In the present investigation an attempt was made to standardise non-insecticidal methods of control for tackling this pest problem. Laboratory evaluation of potential attractants of fruit flies viz. eugenol, eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, borar, ammonium phosphate, vanilla essence, jaggery, sugar, vinegar, honey, toddy and bittergourd fruits were screened for baiting the adults of D. cucurbitae. Eugenol, eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, borax, ammonium phosphate and vanilla essence did not show any attractiveness to the flies. Three graded concentrationsof honey, sugar, jaggery, toddy and vinegar were tested for their attractiveness to the files in the laboratory. The result showed that (1) honey at the highest concentration of 1% attracted the maximum number of flies (2) toddy was not effective for attracting D. cucurbitae. (3) immature stages of bittergourd fruits showed poor aatraction and (4) ripe bittergourd fruits showed poor attraction and (4) ripe bittergourd fruits showed maximum attraction to the files up to 12 h of exposure.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Use of synthetic pyrethroides for the control of pests of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L) and snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina L)
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1982) Kosaraju Ravindra, Nath; KAU; Sasidharan Pillai, K
    In a field experiment conducted at the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during the summer season in 1982, the efficacy of four synthetic pyrethroids viz. permethrin, fenvalerate, cypermethrin and deltamethrin, on the pests of bitter gourd and snake gourd in comparision with the standard, malathion, was evaluated. Both the crops were sprayed thrice on need basis for controlling the various pests which infested the crops at different growth stages. Spotted beetle observed on bitter gourd at the time of first spraying was controlled by all the synthetic pyrethroids along with the standard for a period of 23 days after spraying. Fruit fly of the bitter gourd also was controlled by all the three sprayings and all the insecticides were effective in most occasions. Cypermethrin at higher dose was superior to the standard during the first spraying followed by fenvalerate and deltamethrin. In the second spraying deltamethrin was not so effective whereas permethrin was found more effective. Again in the third spraying deltamethrin and fenvalerate were more effective . The fruit fly damage observed for the entire crop season revealed the superiority of fenvalerate, permethrin and deltamethrin at their higher doses over the standard. Jassid on bitter gourd was controlled by all the insecticides except permethrin and cypermethrin at their lower dose for a period of 2 days after the spraying . But aphid could be controlled only with permethrin and fenvalerate at their higher dose along with the standard malathion for a period of 2 DAS. The fruit set and the flowering pattern were not affected by any of these insecticides.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Control of vegetable pests using chitin synthesis inhibitors
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1983) Rajapadmanabhan Vivek, A; KAU; Mohandas, N
    The dose-effect relationship of two chitin synthesis inhibitors diflubenzuron and triflumuron against three vegetables pests viz., Sylepta derogata, Epilachna vigintioctopunctata and Psera basalis was assessed in terms of the average survival periods when the different larval instars were exposed on treated food materials in the laboratory. The results showed that the earlier instars . In general, the dose-effect relationship had a positive linear trend . The three test insects showed different susceptibility to the chitin sysnthesis inhibitors. S. derogata was least susceptible and it was followed by E. vigintioctopunctata and P. basalis in susceptibility. Besides the mortality observed, various malformations and deformities were also noted in the different life stages of the insects. At the various doses tried the mortality of the larval stages was , in effect, total. The later instars fed with lower cocentrations survived in small percentages and pupated. Some of these pupae were abnormal and some gave rise to abnormal adults fully or partly emerged from the pupal skin.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Insecticide deposits and residues on paddy with reference to volume of spray fluid applied at different growth stages of the crop
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1982) Thomas Biju, Mathew; KAU; Mohan Das, N
    A set of experiments were conducted for assessing the optimum volumes of carbaryl suspension required to spray rice at different growth stages of the crop, using a pneumatic knapsack sprayer and a mist blower. The levels of pesticide deposit formed by spraying the crop at varying levels of pesticide suspension were taken as the indices of bio efficacy and these were also correlated with the leaf area indices of the crop at different growth stages . The level of contamination of the rice eco-system was assessed in terms of pesticide residue in irrigation water of the treated plots. A correlation between different levels of pesticide deposits caused by varying the volumes of the spray fluid was assessed by trials conducted against leaf roller and case worm infesting rice. In the first experiment , the crop was sprayed with 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 1/ha of 0.2% carbaryl suspension on using a pneumatic knapsack sprayer. Deposit on leaf and stalk of the plants, two hours after spraying , was estimated from the representative samples adopting the chemical assay method of Benson and Finocchiare (1965). The experiment was repeated at four different growth stages of the cropviz. 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after sowing. The results showed that the minimum levels of carbaryl suspension required to cause significantly higher levels of deposit on the leaves were 200, 300, 400 and 500 1/ha for the crop at 30, 45,60 and 75 days after sowing respectively.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Factors responsible for the population buid up of rice bug, Leptocorisa acuta Thunb and the control of the pest
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1986) Krishna Kumar, R; KAU; Visalakshi, A
    The rice bug Leptocoria acuta Thunb, was reared on the rice varieties Jaya, Jyothi, Triveni, Pavizham and Karthika in order to study the effect of varieties on the insect's biological features. Statistical analysis of the data obtained showed that varieties have no significant influence on the biological features of L. acuta. Studies made on the duration/survival of L. acuta on eleven common rice land weeds found in paddy fields showed that the bugscould complete their life cycle only on Echinoedria colonum and E. crusgalli. The bugs survived for short periods on a few of the otherweed hosts.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on insect pests and diseases of rice earhead and their control
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1987) Annie Thomas; KAU; Rajan Asari, P A
    A random sample survey on insect pests and diseases infesting rice during, flowering stage was conducted to collect information on the occurence of pests and diseases on rice earhead of different localities in Trivandrum district. Itcould be observed that L.acuta was the most important pest occurring throughout the area surveyed . The importance of rice bug was further proved by the mean number of insect present in different localities. The mean number of rice bug varied from 0.25 to 2.45 which showed the existence of considerable variation according to localities and varieties. The high yielding varieties invariably were seen more susceptible to the pest infestation than the local cultivars.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on the nature and extent of damage caused by insect pests to stored tapioca chips
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1988) Ramla Beevi, S; KAU; Mammen, K V
    A survey on tho population of different stages of insect pests and the extent of damage caused by these insect to stored tapioca chips were conducted at monthly intervals for a period of four months from August 1984 to November 1934 in ten centres of Trivandrum District via. Palode, Parasala, Nedumangad, Venjaramood, Pothencode, Chirayinkil, Vembayon, Chalai, Sreekaryam and Mangalapuran, where tapioca chips wore stored. Among the various posts recorded three species viz. tapioca weevil
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Residue problems in the control of insect pests in processed food commodities using aluminium phosphide
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1984) Rema Devi, K; KAU; Visalakshi, A
    Investigations were carried out to determine the bio-efficacy of fumigation with aluminium phosphide in controlling different species of insects feeding on stored wheat flour, maida, rice flour, rice, semolina, noodles, cattle feed, gram flour, soy beans, green gram, dhal, coffee, tea, cocoa powder, garlic, pepper and cumin under laboratory conditions at the doses 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 g/m3 with an exposure period of 3 days. Studies revealed that the dose of 3.0 g/m3 was suitable for effective control of the pests and that the toxicity of the fumigant depended upon the media in which the insects were reared. Studies conducted on the relative susceptibility of different stages of insects feeding on different food commodities at the 3 doses revealed that adult stage was highly susceptible showing cent per cent mortality evenat the lowest dose of 1.5 g/m^. The egg stage of all the species in all the commodities was relatively resistant to the fumigant followed by pupae, larvae and adults in that descending order. The dose required for the elimination of the different life stages of different insects in different commodities varied depending upon the stage.Thus the percentage control of T. castaneum infesting seven food commodities varied from 92.49 to 100.00 per cent the percentage mortality of the egg ranged from 78*29 to 99.29* of larvae from 97*59 to 100.00 and of pupae from 93.29 to 100.00 per cent at the lowest dose of 1.5 g/m^,S. orvsae also, in three different products showed the same response where the percentage control varied from 93*09 to 97.00. In egg stage the variation in mortality was from 73.55 to 74.81 per cent, in larvae 85.06 to 86.98 per cent and in pupae the variation was from 76.00 to 78.05 per cent at the dose of 1.5 g/m . Similar results were obtained for A. fasoiculatus in three products, C. chinensis on pulses, C. cephalonica on rice flour and L. serricome on cumin.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Use of organic amendments for the control of root-knot nematode In brlnjal
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1986) Kamalakshi Amma, P L; KAU; Ravindran Nair, K K
    Two field experiments were conducted - one for evaluating oilcakes and another for evaluating organic wastes for the control of the root-knot nematode Meloldogyne incognita infesting brinjal, (These experiments were carried out in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, in an area already infected by root-knot nematode. The experiments were laid out in randomised block design with three replications. In the first experiment there were ten treatments including the control and in the second experiment there were eleven.treatments including the control. Organic amendments were applied to the soil three weeks prior to planting and watering was done during this period for the proper, decomposition of these materials. Results were assessed in terms of yield, growth parameters, gall formation and population of nematode. Results indicated that the nematode population in roots as well as in soil was significantly reduced by the application of oilcakes and organic wastes. It was also observed that the intensity of gall formation on roots was considerably reduced as a result of application of organic amendments. Reduction in the population of the nematode and in the intensity of gall formation in turn resulted in bettor crop stand and increase in yield. (Different methods of application vis. application in the planting pit and broadcasting in the plot did not vary in efficacy.