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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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1990 - 19925
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Subject: Forestry × Author: KAU × End date: 1992 × Start date: 1990 ×
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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Comparative performance of three exotic tree species in social forestry strip plantation in Trichur Social Forestry Division
    (College of Forestry,Vellanikkara, 1990) Nandakumar, G; KAU; KrishnanNair, V R
    A study was conducted in 1987-88 on the social forestry strip plantation on the premises of the Sitaram Textile mills Ltd. In the Trichur Social Forestry Division of Kerala State; to compare the performance of three exotic fast growing tree species, Casuarina equisetifolia, Acacia auriculiformis and Eucalyptus tereticornis in social forestry strip plantation. Comparisons were made on the three year old plantation in respect of growth, biomass production and impact on the soil and undergrowth. General observations were also made on the tree form, occurance of pests and diseases and wild life habitat improvement. The site of experiment was being used for dumping coal cinders and other wastes from the textile mill and was barren before planting. The experiment was laid out in RBD with five replications. The results obtained in the study have been summarised below : At the end of the third year Acacia auriculiformis had a DBH of 4.56 cm followed by Eucalyptus tereticornis with 3.82 cm and Casuarina equisetifolia with 1.62 cm. The mean annual diameter increments were 1.44 cm/year in Acacia, 1.20 cm/year in Eucalyptus and 0.51 cm/year in Casuarina. Acacia had more primary branches (27/tree) followed by Eucalyptus (23/tree) and Casuarina (17/tree). The first primary branch was 3.18 m above the ground in Eucalyptus, 2.22 m in Acacia and in 2.16 m in Casuarina. Acacia had 100% survival at the third year while Eucalyptus had 88%. But Casuarina had only 72% survival rates. In growth as well as survival, Acacia auriculiformis was found to be the best among the three. Eucalyptus tereticornis was found superior to Casusrina equisetifolia while the latter was the least impressive of the three. The total biomass yield at the third year was 98.438 mt (drymatter)/ha in Acacia auriculiformis, 48.424 mt/ha in Eucalyptus tereticornis and 12.506 mt/ha in Casuarina equisetifolia. Acacia had a mean annual biomass increment of 32.813 mt/ha. MAI of Eucalyptus was 16.141 mt/ha while that of Casuarina was only 4.169 mt/ha. In biomass production too, Acacia auriculiformis was found superior to Eucalyptus tereticornis and Casuarina equisetifolia. Of the three species Casuarina equisetifolia with a light intensity on the floor of 49.5% was the least shading one, followed by Eucalyptus tereticornis with 43.6% and Acacia auriculiformis with 30.6%. Eucalyptus was found to permit luxuriant undergrowth, so also casuarina. The above ground phytomass was 1.431 kg drymatter/m2 in Eucalyptus and 1,176 kg/m2 in Casuarina. But Acacia was found to inhibit undergrowth (0.183 kg/m2 ). Even the little undergrowth that was permitted by it comprised mostly of its own seedlings. The undergrowth in Eucalyptus comprised mostly of woody species (65.5%) while that of casuarina comprised mostly of grasses (68.5%). The presence of coal cinders had caused a rise in the soil pH, organic matter content, available Nitrogen content and available phosphorus content of the soil. The lowest pH value in the top soil was found in Acacia soil 4.31. Eucalyptus soil had 4.69 and Casuarina soil had 4.94 compared to the barren laterite (5.16) and the barren laterite with coal cinders (5.32). At the depth of 30-45 cm, the pH values were 4.85 in Acasia soil, 5.17 in Casuarina soil and 5.32 in Eucalptus soil. The barren laterite had a pH of 5.24 and in the barren laterite with coal cinders it was 5.42. The pH at 60-70 cm depth was 4.88 in Acacia soil 5.24 in Casuarina soil, 5.33 in Eucalyptus soil, 5.36 in barren laterite and 5.52 in barren laterite with coal cinders. All the three species reduced the pH of the soil. But Acacia auriculiformis was found to lower the pH of the soil more than the other two. pH increased with the depth in all the treatments. The organic carbon contents in the top soils were 0.57% in Acacia, 0.41% in Eucalyptus, 0.49% in Casuarina, 0.39% in barren laterite and 0.43% in barren laterite with coal cinders. The organic matter content was found to decrease as depth increased in all the treatments. There was a general rise in the organic carbon content of the soils due to the impact of the three species with the maximum in Acacia soils and the minimum in Casuarina soils. The available Nitrogen content in the top soil was 1277 kg/ha in Acacia, 1165 kg/ha in Eucalyptus, 1098 kg/ha in Casuarina, 874 kg/ha in barren laterite and 963 kg/ha in barren laterite with coal cinders. There was a reduction in the available Nitrogen content as the soil depth increased in all the treatments. All the three species caused an increase in the available Nitrogen content of the soil, the highest being observed in Acacia auriculiformis followed by Eucalyptus tereticornis. The available Potash content of the soils did not record any change under the different species. The available phosphorus contents of the top soils were 92.7 kg/ha in Casuarina, 90 kg/ha in Eucalyptus, 81.5 kg/ha in Acacia. 79.3 kg/ha in barren lateric and 87.4 kg/ha in the barren laterite with coal cinders. There was reduction in the content of the nutrient as depth increased in all the treatments. In Acacia soils the content of the available Phosphorus had decreased. Regarding the general observations, Acacia auriculiformis showed pronounced branching habits while Eucalyptus and Casuarina had more or less clean boles. Pests and diseases were not observed excepting the pink disease (c.o. Corticium salmonicolor) in Eucalyptus. Crows and rodents were the principal representatives of wild life in the plantion. Honey bees commonly foraged the inflorescence of Acacia. Acacia auriculiformis proved itself to be a highly promising tree for energy plantations and for afforesting sites dumped with coal cinders and for sites offering little protection from anthropogenic influences and grazing. It also improved the organic matter content and available nitrogen content of the soil and was free from graziers. But at the same time there were also unwelcome effects due to Acacia such as increasing the acidity of the soil and supressing undergrowth. It also tended to be highly branching. Eucalyptus tereticornis also was found to be good in growth and biomass production and could be recommended for similar sites. The species also enriched the soil by increasing the contents of organic carbon and available Nitrogen. Though it too reduced the pH of the soil, the species was found to support luxuriant undergrowth and was spared by graziers. Casuarina equisetifolia was a less suitable species for such a site as seen from the performance of the species. It suffered heavily from browsing and showed lesser survival growth and yield. But the species increased the organic carbon content and available Nitrogen content of the soil and permitted luxuriant undergrowth especially grasses.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Stand density regulation in even aged teak plantations
    (Faculty of Agriculture, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1990) Prasoon, Kumar; KAU; Mohankumar, B
    A teak density management diagram was constructed using the stand inventory data on teak collected from Parambikulam, Thrissur and Chalakudy areas. Density management diagram is a graphical representation of the stand growth through time, in terms of density and quadratic diameter, volume, height and Reineke’s stand density index. A size –density based index such as Reineke’s stand density index incidentally provides a good biological basis for the translation of management objective into levels of growing stock. Stand density index (SDI) incidentally is also independent of site quality and age. The data – set also revealed that Parambikulam is a better site for teak followed by Thrissur and Chalakudy. The maximum SDI for teak was found to be 600 which probably covers all possible combinations of size and density included in the data – set. The use of diagram for designing two alternate density management regimes for a hypothetical stand is illustrated. Designing a density management regime requires the translation of management objectives into appropriate levels of growing stock. Maximization of volume production and maximization of individual tree growth are the two alternate but contrasting silvicultural strategies in this context. For maximization of volume per unit area the level of the growing stock should fall in the zone 11 of the Langsaeter’s curve. On the other hand, if the land management objective is to maximize individual tree growth, then trees should not experience much competition (preferably in zone 1 of the Langsaeter’s curve). So, in the former case the levels of growing stock will be naturally higher than that of latter. After fixing the appropriate upper and lower levels of size – density relations the stand is allowed to grow till it reaches upper limit and then thinned down to the lower limit. This process is repeated as many times as necessary. The diagram has diverse utility from designing alternate density management regimes to comparing the results of optimization analyses. However, it suffers from some shortcomings such as lack of memory, prediction of same rotation age irrespective to the path taken by stand, rotation ending before culmination of periodic annual increment, the assumption of single maximum size – density relationship and slight bias of the model with respect to the independent variables outside the range of the data base. However, with more work many of these defects could be over come.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Biology of the seedling of the sandle wood (Santalum album Linn.)
    (Dapartment of Forestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1991) Yayati, B Taide; KAU; Luckins, C Babu
    An experiment was conducted in the College of Forestry, Vellanikkara during July 1990 to March 1991. The investigation was undertaken with a view to studying the biology of sandal seedling (Santalum album Linn.). The main objective of the experiment was to study the influence of host plants on the growth and development of sandal and to identify promising sandal – host combinations to be recommended and adopted for large scale plantations. The experiment was laid out in a completely Randomised Design with 15 host species as treatments. The results revealed that sandal has host specificity and with certain host species sandal tended to put up better growth. Casuarina was found to be the best host among the 15 host species tried in the experiment. All the growth characters like height, collar girth, number of leaves, root and shoot biomass, root and shoot length were higher when sandal was associated with host species like casuarina, terminalia, albizia, dalbergia, pongamia. On the other hand some species like emblica, delonix, acacia, ailanthus, lucaena had an antagonistic or allelopathic effect. A multitrait selection index was developed for the 15 host species tried in the investigation and five sandal –host combinations have been identified for recommendation for large scale sandal plantations.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    In vitro propagation of dalbergia latifolia roxb. through tissue culture
    (Department of Forestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1992) Khages Chandra Mahato; KAU; Vijayakumar, N K
    In investigations carried out in the College of Forestry, Vellanikkara during 1989 – 92, it was found that nodal segments of 1.5 cm length were ideal as the explants. Prophylactic spraying of the mother tree with the systemic fungicides Bavistin and the contact fungicide Dithane M-45 coupled with surface sterilization of explants with mercuric chloride 0.1 per cent for 12 minutes fully controlled contamination of the culture. Both woody plant medium (WPM) and Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium were found to be suitable for the primary culture establishment from the explants. While WPM supplemented with kinetin 1.0 ppm and IAA 0.1 ppm was most suitable for inducing healthy single shoots in about 80 per cent of the explants, MS along with BA 2.0 ppm or BA 0.25 ppm and CH 1000 mg 1-1 induced maximum number of multiple shoots (up to 25). Among the various media supplements tested, adenine sulphate was found to be capable of inducing multiple shoots and CH increased the rate of shoot multiplication. Coconut water did not show any beneficial effects. Liquid cultures with shaking at initial periods prolonged the life of the primary culture up to six months with continuous production of shoots. Continuous culture was developed using nodal segments of shoots derived from the primary cultures. The most suitable medium for this was found to be MS supplemented with kinetin and BA 0.5 ppm each. The best in vitro rooting was achieved by resorting to a pulse treatment of the shoots with IBA (1000 ppm) and culturing them in vermiculite + sand medium. Up to 100 per cent rooting could be achieved by this method. In vivo rooting was obtained by transferring the shoots after IBA treatment to vermiculite under high humidity conditions. Planting out and hardening of the in vitro rooted plantlets was carried out in soilrite. Up to 90 per cent survival could be achieved. The hardened plantlets were acclimatized in polythene bags with ordinary potting mixture and after 16 weeks they were field planted. The cost of production of one plantlet including hardening was worked out to Rs. 4.47.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Eco-physiological studies in a tropical evergreen forest ecosystem (of Nelliampathy area, in Kerala)
    (Department of Forestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1991) Sheik Hyder Hussain, S; KAU; Luckins C Babu
    Eco – physiological studies in a tropical evergreen forest ecosystem of Nelliampathy area in Kerala The physiological ecology of tropical vegetation in general and that of evergreen forest in particular is poorly understood. As regards to South indian forest ecosystems studies on these lines are virtually absent. The present investigation attempts to generate some basic information on ecological aspects of evergreen forests and also to identify the changes caused by human interference. The study was carried out in three locations adjacent to the Nelliampathy tract representing undisturbed and selection felled evergreen forests and cardamom plantation. In each of these three ecosystems, 50 x 50m plots were established in most typical sites of one hectare and the vegetation, structure, phytosociology and floristics were analysed. Estimation of leaf area index, leaf litter and nutrient input through litter, soil nutrients and natural regeneration was carried out. Monthly measurements of micrometeorological parameters namely, air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall soil temperature and soil moisture were taken. Light environment was studied both in vertical and horizontal profiles. The evergreen forest ecosystem presented diverse physiognomic features exemplified by size of trunks, crown, branching pattern, coppicing power, buttressine, colour and blaze of bark, cauliflory and ramiflory. The disturbance to the ecosystem by way of selection felling and /or raising of cardamom in the understory has caused drastic changes in the structure. There is marked difference in the distribution of trees among the three storeys and also in various girth classes. The dominant species association, as indicated by the Importance Value Index is Palaquium ellipticum – Cullenia exarillata in the undisturbed and cardamom plots, while it is Mesua ferrea – Palaguium ellipticum in the selection felled plot. Of the 20 species of trees (> 30 cm girth at breast height), 17 were present in the undisturbed, 15 in the selection felled and 11 in the cardamom plot. The index of species diversity was 0.85 and 0.86 for undisturbed and selection felled areas respectively, with the cardamom plot possessing an index of 0.76. The most important plant families occurring in the area are Sapotaceae, Bombacaceae, Clusiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. The undisturbed evergreen plot has the maximum leaf area index and the cardamom plot the minimum, while the selection felled area occupies the median position as a result of the varying degrees of canopy removal. The vertical distribution of light reveals that while 60 percent radiant energy is received at 30 m height, 30 percent at 20 m and 15 percent at 10 m, only 10 percent is available at the ground level. There is a striking difference in the horizontal distribution of light categorised into varying intensities among the three plots which is affected by the disturbances in the canopy. The monthly soil temperature did not vary between the undisturbed and selection felled plots, while it was higher in the cardamom plot. A reverse trend was observed in the case of soil moisture with the undisturbed plot having maximum soil moisture. The ecosystems under consideration are phenologically active due to the dry spell and flowering of most species occurs in January – March. While fruiting is towards the monsoon period, maximum leaf fall takes place during the summer. There is significant variation in the total annual litterfall among the three ecosystems with the undisturbed plot occupying the top position and the cardamom plot the bottom. The same trend is followed with regards to the input of N,P,K Ca and Mg though leaflitter into the ecosystem. The highest value for soil nutrients (0-20 cm) was estimated in the undisturbed plot and least in the cardamom plot. Natural regeneration was normal in the undisturbed evergreen forest, almost absent in the selection felled plot due to the invasion of Strobilanthes sps., while only unestablished seedlings were available in the cardamom plot due to successive weeding operations. The study reveals that slight and heavy modifications in the evergreen forest ecosystem brings about significant changes in structure, floristics, microclimatic environment and features relating to the functioning of the system, namely, nutrient input and regeneration.