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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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2003 - 20053
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Subject: Entomology × Author: KAU × End date: 2010 × Start date: 2003 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Management of banana pseudostem weevil odoiporus longicollis oliv.using entomopathogenic fungi
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2005) Sahi Beegum, M K; KAU; Anitha, N
    Investigation on “Management of banana pseudostem weevil, Odoiporus longicollis Oliv. using entomopathogenic fungi” was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The study was conducted to screen four entomopathogenic fungi, to evaluate their biocontrol potential and to standardize the effective dose and method of application for the management of the banana pseudostem weevil. Four entomopathogenic fungi viz., Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, Paecilomyces lilacinus and Nomuraea rileyi were tested against O. longicollis. Among them M. anisopliae and B. bassiana were found to infect O. longicollis grubs. Susceptibility of different stages of grubs to fungal infection was tested by using first, second, third, fourth and fifth instar grubs of O. longicollis and the results revealed that first and second instar grubs were more susceptible to fungal infection. Determination of effective dose of fungi against second instar grubs of O. longicollis was carried out by spraying the grubs with different concentrations of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana. The LC50 values of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana were 3.9 x 106 spores ml-1 and 1.6 x 105 spores ml-1 respectively. Evaluation of six naturally available solid media viz., rice bran, wheat bran, guinea grass, gingelly oil cake, coir pith, and neem cake were carried out for mass multiplication of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana. The results revealed that both rice bran and wheat bran were suitable for the mass multiplication of these fungi. The spore production was 9.26 x 106 spores ml-1 and 8.71 x 106 spores ml-1 respectively for M. anisopliae on first week after inoculation. For B. bassiana, the spore count was 503.42 x 106 spores ml-1 and 320.32 x 106 spores ml-1 respectively on first week after inoculation. Among the liquid media tried, coconut water and rice bran extract produced maximum mycelial growth and sporulation of fungi. For M. anisopliae the spore count was 7.77 x 107 spores ml-1 and 0.49 x 107 spores ml-1 respectively. B. bassiana recorded 440.03 x 106 spores ml-1 and 232.26 x 106 spores ml-1 respectively. M. anisopliae and B. bassiana grown in rice bran and wheat bran recorded maximum virulence on two weeks after storage and decreased thereafter. However, coconut water and rice bran extract showed maximum virulence on first week after storage and then found decreasing. Studies conducted to evaluate the compatibility of fungi with NeemAzal 0.4 per cent, chlorpyriphos 0.03 per cent, copper oxychloride 0.4 per cent and mancozeb 0.3 per cent revealed that all the pesticides tested inhibited the growth of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana. But the per cent inhibition was least in the case of NeemAzal 0.4 per cent. Field experiments were conducted with M. anisopliae and B. bassiana with chlorpyriphos (0.03 per cent) and NeemAzal (0.4 per cent) as checks. The plants were artificially infested with known number of grubs. Two experiments were conducted, one with prophylactic treatments and the other with curative treatments. Three application methods viz., leaf axil filling of spore suspension of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana, leaf axil filling of fungi in rice bran and stem injection of spore suspension were tested. Among these treatments leaf axil filling of B. bassiana spore suspension at 1.8 x 107 ml-1 as prophylactic treatment was most effective which gave 52.42 per cent mortality of grubs.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of newer insecticides against major pests of cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp and their effect on natural enemies
    (Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2003) Betty Varghese; KAU; Naseema Beevi, S
    The present study was undertaken to evaluate new insecticides against the major pests of cowpea in the laboratory, to study the effect of promising chemicals on the natural enemies and to assess their bioefficacy in the field. The insecticides selected were imidacloprid (0.025%), acetamiprid (0.002%), diafenthiuron (0.05%), fenazaquin (0.05%), profenofos (0.05%), triazophos (0.05%), chlorpyrifos (0.05%) and acephate (0.05%). Malathion (0.1 %) was used as the check. The pea aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch.), the leaf caterpillar (Spodoptera litura (FB.), the pod bug (Riptortus pedestris Fb.), the spotted-pod-borer (Maruca vitrata (Fabricius) and the pod caterpillar (Lampides boeticus Linn.) were the pests selected for laboratory studies. Cowpea plants were sprayed with insecticides and the test insects of uniform stage were released on the sprayed plant parts cut at different intervals. Chlorpyrifos, profenofos, triazophos, acetamiprid, imidacloprid and acephate proved effective against the pea aphids. Chlorpyrifos, profenofos and triazophos gave higher mortality of S. litura. The chemicals found superior against the pod bug, R pedestris were chI orpyri fos, acephate, profenofos and imidacloprid. Against M vitrata, chlorpyrifos, acetamiprid, triazophos, acephate and profenofos gave higher mortality. The insecticides that were superior against L. boeticus in the laboratory were chlorpyrifos, acetamiprid, triazophos, acephate and profenofos. The toxicity of promising insecticides on the predators (Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens), Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fb) and Coccinella transversalis Fab.) and parasitoids (Chrysocharis johnsoni Rao and Apanteles taragamae Vier) were studied following dry film technique. LC50 values were calculated following probit analysis. Chlorpyrifos and profenofos were more toxic to the larvae of chrysopid, C. camea and the coccinellids, M sexmaculatus and C. transversalis than triazophos, acephate, acetamiprid and imidacloprid. Chlorpyrifos, triazophos, profenofos and malathion were more toxic to the parasitoids, A. taragamae and C. johnsoni than to the chrysopid and coccinellid predators. The compatibility of insecticides with the entomopathogen Fusarium pallidoroseum (Cooke) Sacc. was studied following poisoned food technique. Among the chemicals found promising against aphids, acephate, acetamiprid and imidacloprid were compatible with the entornopathogen, F pallidoroseum. But profenofos completely inhibited the growth whereas chlorpyrifos and triazophos showed partial inhibition In the field experiment chlorpyrifos, profenofos, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, acephate and triazophos gave greater reduction in aphid poulation. Acetarniprid treated plots recorded more number of predators followed by imidacloprid indicating the safety of neonicotinoids than the other insecticides like chlorpyrifos, malathion, diafenthiuron, profenofos. triazophos and acephate. Insecticides found effective against pod borers under field condition were chlorpyrifos, acetamiprid, acephate and profenofos. Acephate, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, profenofos and acetarniprid were found effective against pod bugs in the field trial. Greater grain yield was obtained from plots treated with acephate, chlorpyrifos, acetamiprid, profenofos and imidacloprid. However the safety to these chemicals in terms of the persistence of residues in the pods may be further studied before making recommendation in IPM programme.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Biodiversity and bionomics of predatory coccinellids in vegetable crops
    (Department of Entomology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2003) Sheena; KAU; Lyla, K R
    The role of biocontrol in keeping the natural balance of the ecosystem is universally accepted. However, the use of insecticides, interventions by man viz. cropping patterns, other methods of control, resistant varieties etc. may cause changes in natural enemy population. No information is available on the number and suppressive potential of predatory coccinellids and their effect on pest population and the present study is intended to meet the aforesaid desideratum. In the present investigation the detailed biology of the coccinellid predators prevalent in the vegetable crops like cowpea, bhendi, brinjal, pumpkin and bittergourd was studied under laboratory condition. Fecundity, predatory potential and feeding preference of these predators were also ascertained. Seasonal fluctuation of aphid and coccinellid predators was studied from June 2001 to May 2002 in cowpea, bhendi, pumpkin, brinjal and bittergourd. Coccinellids like Coccinella transversalis Fab. , Cheilomenes sexmaculata, (Fab.) Brumoides suturalis(Fab.) and Jouravia soror Weise were persistent in the vegetable ecosystem. Biological data indicated higher feeding potential of C. transversalis (213.5 ± 4.710 aphids) and C. sexmaculata (226.2 ± 2.77 aphids), which shows that they can effectively control A. craccivora. Higher fecundity of C. transversalis (421. 8 ± 4.983 eggs) account for the successful establishment of these predators in the field: Feeding preference study was conducted by no choice test and multiple choice test. CoccinelIids ate only aphids in both the situations. The population of aphids and coccinellids vary widely in different crops.ln cowpea, aphid and coccincllid population. were present throught the course of study. Maximum aphid population (221.5 and 22) was seen on the first fortnight of January in cowpea and bittergourd respectively, whereas the maximum coccinellid population was noticed during the second fortnight of January (1.2) in the former and first fortnight of February (0.4) in the latter. In pumpkin and brinjal, peak population of aphids (29.8, 22.4) and coccinellids (0.5,0.2) were observed on the second fortnight of January and in bhendi on the first fortnight of February (aphids 32.5, coccinellids 0.5) Correlation studies between aphid and coccinellid coccinellid population with weather factors was also studied. Rainfall and temperature was having negative correlation with aphid population. Coccinellid population did not show any significant relation with weather factors except in cowpea. Influence of relative humidity on aphids and coccinellids vary widely in all the five crops. The inconsistency may be due to numerous factors interacting among the components of the biotic systems and their interaction with numerous abiotic factors. For consistent conclusions these correlation studies may have to be extended over a number of seasons.