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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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20201
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Subject: Forest Biology and Tree Improvement × Author: Anjana, C B × Author: KAU × Start date: 2020 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Selection for drought tolerance and wood quality traits from selected accessions of Tectona grandis Linn f.
    (Department of Forest Biology and Tree Improvement, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2020) Anjana, C B; KAU; Santhoshkumar, A V
    Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) is an important hardwood timber in the tropic. Most teak-growing countries are now performing tree improvement programs. It mainly aimed at achieving superior growth characteristics. These may have indirect effect on wood properties. So it is essential to include wood quality traits in breeding of teak. As teak requires long nursery period which extends to almost one year and any decline in moisture during this period may cause decline in initial growth and may eventually lead to death of teak.Asstated,mostofthebreedingactivitiesthathavebeendoneonteakinvolvedselecting plustreesbasedonlyonquantitativeandqualitativetraits.Tillnow,veryfewworkwasdone on screening teak for drought tolerance. The study is being conducted at the teak provenance trial plantation established in Livestockresearchstation,Thiruvizhamkunnu.30accessionsofteakwereplantedincompact family block design with 3 progenies each, replicated five times. Out of 30 accessions, eight were completely absent in the field. From the remaining 22 accessions, three were discarded due to the lack of enough number of progenies (minimum 2) per accession. So the 19 accessions were used for the further studies. Growth characters and wood quality traits were observed among these accessions from thefield. Growth parameters like height and girth showed significant variations among 19 provenances.Variationofheightwasintherangeof9.57m(A5)to17.97m(A2).Thevariation in the girth at breast height was in the range of 31.75cm (A5) to 86.07(A29). PPD and SWV showedsignificantvariationsamong19provenances.AccessionsA2,A29,A21,A20,A1,A3 andA22showedbettergrowthparameters.ThevalueforPPDrangefrom20.25mm(A1,A23) to 24.25mm (A20). The value for SWV ranged from 3535 ms-1 (A29) to 4360 ms-1(A30). Specific gravity for the different accessions was calculated from the regression equationusing PPD. Specific gravity range from 0.32 (A20) to 0.44 (A1, A23). Among the accessions, A23, A17, A28, A19, A18, A21 and A22 showed better wood qualitytraits. Eighteen trees belonging to eighteen accessions were then selected using comparison method. These trees were then vegetatively propagated through stem cuttings for further studies. These accessions were then screened for drought tolerance by studying physiological changes in response to imposed drought stress in three stages viz. normal, stress and regain. Kruskal Wallis test showed significant variation among physiological parameters during these three stages of drought. A significant reduction in stomatal conductance, transpirationrate, photosynthetic rate, relative water content, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b content, total chlorophyll content, membrane stability index, chlorophyll stability index as compared to normal growing conditions among the accessions of teak. A significant increase was observed in the canopy air temperature difference among the accession. A hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out for physiological parameters of the accessionsduringdrought.Theaccessionswhichperformedwellduringdroughtweregrouped in cluster IV. The accessions belonging to this cluster was A21, A6 and A24. During drought, higher values for chlorophyll stability index, membrane stability index, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b content, total chlorophyll content, relative water content and the photosynthetic rate was observed for A21. In addition to that highest value for stomatal conductance and transpiration was recorded in A21 and A6. Chlorophyll fluorescence was observed highest in A21, A24, A5 and A6. Among the accessions, the lowest value for the canopy air temperature difference was observed inA21. Duringregainrecoveryinphysiologicalcharacterswasobservedamongtheaccessions. A21 showed higher values for physiological parameters like chlorophyll stability index, membrane stability index, chlorophyll a and b content, total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, relative water conductance, transpiration and stomatal conductance. The photosynthetic rate was observed highest in A21, A6, A5 and A24. A13 and A17 found to be least recovered during drought because of prolonged damage to physiological process after imposeddrought.Itcanbeconcludedfromtheaboveresultsthatconsiderablevariationexisted among the teak accessions for wood properties and growth characters. In drought tolerance studies significant variation among the accessions were also observed. A21 is found to be drought tolerant compared with otheraccessions.