Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

20111
Reset filters
Subject: Forestry × Author: Aneesh, K S × End date: 2012 ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Floristic and edaphic attributes of three land use systems in Wayanad, Kerala
    (Department of Forest Management and Utilisation, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2011) Aneesh, K S; KAU; Gopakumar, S
    The present study was conducted in Thollayiram area of South Wayanad Forest Division of Wayanad district. The objective of the study is to compare the various floristic and edaphic attributes of three land use systems, viz an ecologically fragile land (EFL), a section 5 land (as per section 5 of Kerala Preservation of Trees Act (1986) and vested forest found in South Wayanad Forest Division. A total area of one hectare was surveyed in each of the three land use systems. The floristic study revealed that species richness of these land use systems were 40, 26 and 32 respectively. The major associations of trees in the ecologically fragile land were Melicope lunu-ankenda- Litsea oleoides- Litsea wightiana and Diospyros nilagirica. In section 5 land, the major associations are Litsea wightiana- Dillenia bracteata and Diospyros nilagirica whereas the vested forest is dominated with Palaquium ellipticum, Myristica beddomei, Dimocarpus longan and Mesua ferrea. Total basal area of vested forest is 44.56 m2 followed by ecologically fragile land (37.47 m2) and section 5 land (33.60 m2). By comparing the Shannon –wiener index of these land use system, vested forest recorded the highest value (2.96) followed by ecologically fragile land (2.93) and section 5 land (2.80) whereas Simpson indices are 0.93, 0.91 and 0.92 respectively. Regarding vegetation structure, a typical three storeys was noticed for ecologically fragile land and vested forest but section 5 land has only two storeys. Texture analysis revealed that soil texture of these land use systems are sandy loam. The pH values of the soil ranges from 3.84 to 4.79. The higher value of bulk density was recorded for section 5 land (1.46 g cm-3) followed by ecologically fragile land (1.34 g cm-3) and vested forest (0.88 g cm-3). There is no significant difference in the values of organic carbon and available potassium across three land use systems whereas available phosphorous was significantly higher in vested forest. The information regarding diversity of ecologically fragile land in Thollayiram will be helpful to the state forest department in designing better strategies for the long term conservation of this ecosystem.