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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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19881
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Subject: Fisheries × Author: Aneykutty Joseph × Author: KAU × Start date: 1988 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Secondary production in brackish water culture ponds
    (Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Panangad, 1988) Aneykutty Joseph; KAU; Jayasree Vadhyar K
    Secondary production of zooplankton and zoobenthos (macrobenthos and meiobenthos) of two brackishwater ponds, A and B, each having 0.042 hectare area and connected to the Cochin backwaters, in the instructional fish farm of College of Fisheries, Panangad, Cochin have been studied for three culture periods. Viz, culture I.C. chenos (120 days, during August to December, 1986), culture II. P.indicus (60 days, during January to March, 1987) and culture III.P. monodon (45 days, during mid May to June, 1987). Fortnightly fluctuations in the biomass of zooplankton, meiobenthos and macrobenthos both group wise and total, their percentage dominance and frequency of occurrence have been studied during each culture period. Attempts have been made to correlate the fortnightly biomass of zooplankton, meiobenthos and macrobenthos with the fortnightly growth increment of C.chanos, P. indicus and P.monodon separately. Since zooplankton production is mainly dependent on primary production, fortnightly estimations of net and gross primary production have been carried out. The physic-chemical parameters of the pond water and soil have been studied fortnightly since both primary and secondary productivity of a culture pond depends mainly on these variables. The zooplankton groups are constituted by rotifers copepods and crustacean nauplii. The total biomass of zooplankton ranges from 22.388 mg/m3 to 5476.950 mg/m3 and 5.085mg/m3 to 1316.832 mg/m3 in ponds A and B respectively. The zooplankton biomass shows three peaks i.e., 1) in November 2) in March and 3) in June in pond A during culture I,II and III respectively while in pond B, it does not show such pronounced peaks. Neverthless, small zooplankton peaks are apparent in pond B in the former half of September, February and May during culture I ,II and III respectively. The relationship between the fortnightly biomass of zooplankton and that of growth increment of C. chanos is mostly an inverse one which could be because of the grazing effect of the latter on the former. An inverse relation is also observed between the biomass of zooplankton and growth increment values of P.indicus and P.monodon. Since the prawns are benthic feeders such an inverse relation cannot be attributed to direct consumption of zooplankton by them. However, zooplankton on dying sink to the bottom and form part of the detritus, constituting direct food for the prawns. The meiobenthos in both the ponds is constituted by nematodes and copepods. The total biomass of meiofauna ranges from 36.018 µg/10cm2 to 2539.322 µg/10cm2 in pond A and from 57.882 µg/10cm2 to 1556.616 µg/10cm2 in Pond B. A direct correlation is observed between the biomass of meiofauna with growth increment values of C.chanos whereas an inverse relation is noted between the former and the growth increment value of P.indicus and P.monodon. This suggests that meiofauna may not from direct food to C.chanos while it may be the contrary to the prawns. The macrobenthos is composed of amphipods, tanaids, polychaetes and mollusks. The total biomass of macrofauna groups ranges from 0.035 g/m2 TO 43.074 G/M2 in pond A and from 0.144 g/m2 5.712 to g/m2 (excluding villorita cyprinoides var.cochinensis) in pond B. One peculiarity observed in pond B is the presence of thick bed of black clam V. cyprinoides var. cochinensis during all the culture periods. A direct correlation between the fortnightly biomass of macrofauna with growth increment of C.chanos during the former half of culture period and inverse relation during the latter half of culture period are observed . this may be attributed to the utilization of macrofauna by c.chanos during the later stages of their growth. This supports the previous views put forward by several authors. An inverse relation is observed between the fortnightly biomass of macrofauna and growth increment values of P.indicus as well as P.monodon. This is in agreement with the views of several authors which highlight the utilization of macrofauna by the prawns. Fortnightly observations on primary productivity of phytoplankton as well as physic – chemical parameters of pond water and soil have also been discussed in general.