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

19885
Reset filters
Subject: Forestry × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1988 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Anatomy and utilization of two cane species of Kerala
    (College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1988) Mohan, Varghese; KAU; Bhat, K M
    Variation in certain anatomical and physical properties has been investigated and compared in two rattan species, viz. Calamus thwaitesii and C. travancoricus, the former representing the larger diameter and the latter possessing small-diameter canes of kerala. Five stems possing more or less similar number of internodes have been sampled in each of two species. There were significant differences between the two species in certain physical properties such as length and diameter of internode, stem “wood” density and initial moisture content although volumetric shrinkage did not differ appreciably. Similarly, quantitative data for anatomical properties such as corted percentage, number of vascular bundles per unit area, vascular bundle diameter, xylem and phloem percentage, metaxylem vessel element and fibre dimensions were markedly different between the two species while the fibre percentage had almost similar values. With the exceptions of internode size and fibre width, the mean physical and anatomical properties in each species showed definite patterns of longitudinal variation, which could be best explained using quadratic regression models. However, patterns of longitudinal variation were different between the species in volumetric shrinkage, number of vascular bundles per mm2, vascular bundle diameter, phloem percentage, metaxylem vessel element and fibre length. The most important useful features in distinguishing between the two species are internode length, stem diameter, epidermal cell and its lumen shape, diameter and frequency of vascular bundles as well as the diameter of wide metaxylem vessels. The most important determining factors of “wood” density are fibre percentage, fibre wall thickness and lumen width as well as the diameter of metaxylem vessels although features like the size and number of vascular bundles per unit area also influences this property. Volumetric shrinkage and moisture content are inversely related to the density of “wood”. With higher density owing to more thick walled fibres and narrower wide metaxylem vessels, basal portion of the stem is harder and heavier than top portion.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Ecological studies of a sacred grove
    (College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1988) Induchoodan, N C; KAU; Balasubramanian K
    Sacred groves serve as unique examples of in situ genetic resource conservation through involvement of local people in the most economic and efficient manner. Ecological studies in Sacred Groves are practically nil and the present investigation, in such a fascinating field has brought out many interesting data for the first time. The forests of Iringole Sacred grove, lying at 100 10’N Latitude and 760 30’ E longitude, within Perumbavoor Municipality can be considered as Southern tropical West coast Evergreen Forest (Low lying). The area is hot and humid with an annual precipitation exceeding 3000 mm. The dry season lasts from January to March.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Investigation on the production of healthy seedling of teak (Tectona grandis Linn.f.) in the nursery
    (College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1988) Syam, V; KAU; Chacko, K C
    Teak seeds have dormancy which may vary from a few weeks to a year or even years. Selection of a suitable pretreatment to overcome this dormancy has been on age old problem. Several complex and inter – related factors like the physiological condition of the fruit, the special fruit characteristics and the after ripening phenomena complicate the problem. A study was conducted using fruits from seven middle aged teak plantations in Trichur Forest Division. A germination trial was carried out in Factorial Randomized Block Design. The fruits were size graded and four presowing treatments were tested in vermiculite and sand media and the germination characters recorded during a 30 day observation period. A cutting test was also performed before hand to estimate the average emptiness, viability percentage and other fruit characters of the size graded teak fruits. Thereafter the seedlings were transplanted from the germination trays to polybags filled previously with potting mixture and kept in the open. After completion of three months the seedlings were taken out from the polybags and the biometric observations recorded. The tap root, lateral roots, leaves and stem were separately dried to constant weight and the dry weight recorded. The dry matter production of the entire seedling was also computed. From this data the effect of fruit grading, pretreatments and germination media was analysed statistically. It was found that larger sized fruits (above 15 mm diameter) were superior to the other grades with respect to germination characters, seedling growth and dry matter production. The pretreatment of the fruits using GA3 at 100 ppm was significant with respect to germination characters, biometric and biomass observations of the teak seedlings. Vermiculite was a better germination medium for teak seed germination then sand and the seedlings grown in that medium recorded better tap root growth and dry matter production. The potted seedlings thus produced can be used for planting in areas where seedling planting is resorted to for raising new plantations and for replacement of casualities during June – July in areas where stump planting is adopted as the method of artificial regeneration during premonsoon showers in the month of April – May.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Regeneration status of some important moist deciduous forest trees in the Trichur Forest Division
    (College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1988) Narayanan, Illath Valappil; KAU; Mohankumar, B
    Sustained management of forests depends on their ability to regenerate. The pace at which the older trees are replaced by younger ones, is very important in this respect. The details of sylvigenesis is little known, especially of the moist deciduous forests. To get a general idea of the regeneration behaviour of the moist deciduous forests eight localities of varying levels of disturbance were sampled in the Trichur Forest Division. Enumeration of trees and their regeneration were done and data were analysed at three levels of organization, viz. ecosystem level, stratum level and species level. Physiognomically the moist deciduous forests comprise three vertical strata namely, upper, middle and the lower. The middle stratum is richest in species. Most of the species represented in the upper stratum are commercially important. Five species, Dillenia pentagyna, Grewia tiliifolia, Lagerstroemia microcarpa, Terminalia paniculata and xylia xylocarpa, occupying the upper stratum, possess higher values of basal area, relative basal area, density per hectare, relative density and importance value index, and are the dominant ones. The average growing stock of desirable commercially important species > = 20 cm DBH per hectare is 149.79. This is slightly lower than the average of 167 trees/ha cited by Seth and Kaul. The growing stock of trees > = 1 cm DBH, of the middle and lower strata decrease exponentially with increasing cover gaps. The upper stratum on the other hand is not much affected by disturbance. In fact, with slight disturbance it increases a little. Relative importance value index of the middle stratum increases where that of the lower straum decreases and vice versa. Frequency distribution statistic for stands and strata conform to the negatively exponential model. Mortality rates are maximum in the lower size classes. Comparison of observed frequencies of unestablished seedlings to the expected frequencies of the commercially important stratum indicates that the reproductive potential of stands is not poor. On the other hand, the growing stock of established seedlings (saplings + poles) is very low. Owing to very low survival probability in the sapling stage acute paucity of poles of the upper stratum is observed. The five dominant species show the same pattern of population structure and distribution of survival probability as the stratum. Regeneration of important species in the moist deciduous forests is under various stresses of which that of human origin is the most hazardous. Grazing, browsing, fire, and illicit cutting are the greatest constraints. Some species like Lagerstroemia microcarpa also show some intrinsic constraints.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Spatial arrangement and harvesting schedule in a Silvipastoral system
    (Department of Forestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1988) Sunil, P L; KAU; Krishnan Nair, V R
    An experiment was conducted in the Social Forestry Plantation located at Viyoor, near Trichur from August 1987 to June 1988 to evaluate different spatical arrangements and harvesting schedules in a silvipastoral system. The crop components were subabul and guinea grass. The experiment, replicated thrice, was laid out in a factorial RBD with twenty treatments, involving five spatial arrangements and four harvesting schedules. The results revealed that subabul – guinea grass intercrop gave higher green fodder yields during the summer season compared to a sole crop of either species. Dry matter yields of 1.83 T and 9.36 T/ha/year were obtained from subabul and guinea grass, respectively. The spatical arrangement in which subabul was planted at 1.5 x 1.5 m spacing with five rows of guinea grass between two adjacent rows of subabul and the harvesting schedules in which subabul was harvested every second month and guinea grass 15 days earlier or later recorded higher green fodder yields. Percentage rate of increase in height of grass decreased with increasing light intensity, while tillering rate increased. Light intensity received during the experimental period steadily increased and the maximum lux readings were obtained between 12.20 and 14.20 MST. Soil chemical analysis conducted before and after the experimental period indicated that the organic carbon, available N and soil pH of the intercropped treatments increased significantly. This proved the soil ameliorating properties of subabul.