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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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20183
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Subject: Fruit Science × Author: KAU × End date: 2018 × Start date: 2018 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardization of in vitro male bud culture in banana musa (AA) 'kadali'
    (Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture Vellanikkara, 2018) Lakshmi, K S; KAU; Jyothi Bhaskar
    The experiment entitled “Standardization of in vitro male bud culture in banana Musa (AA) ‘Kadali’” was taken up with the objective of standardizing a protocol for mass multiplication of banana Musa (AA) ‘Kadali’ through in vitro male bud culture. The work was carried out in the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory at Banana Research Station, Kannara during 2016-2018. Active meristems of male flowers were used as the explant. The study was undertaken in three parts (1) standardization of establishment media (2) standardization of multiple shoot induction media (3) in vitro rooting and acclimatization. The results indicated that full MS medium containing a combination of NAA 1.0 mgL-1 and BA 4.0 mgL-1 was suitable for better and faster explant establishment. In multiple shoot induction media, multiple shoots were found to develop in all the cultures with full MS medium containing BA 4.0 mgL-1 and BA 6.0 mgL-1, and the highest number of shoots were recorded in full MS medium supplemented with NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 4.0 mgL-1. Considering the length of micro shoots and number of leaves, full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 6.0 mgL-1 and full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 4.0 mgL-1 were found to be the best. The best media identified from multiple shoot induction cultures (full MS+ NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 4.0 mgL-1 and full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 6.0 mgL-1) were modified by adding different levels of thidiazuron (TDZ) and coconut water (CW). Highest number of shoots were observed in full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 4.0 mgL-1 + CW 15 % + TDZ 0.4 mgL-1and full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 6.0 mgL-1+ CW 15 % + TDZ 0.4 mgL-1. With regard to number of leaves, full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 6.0 mgL-1 + CW 15 % + TDZ 0.4 mgL-1and full MS + NAA 1.0 mgL-1 + BA 4.0 mgL-1+ CW 15 % + TDZ 0.2 mgL-1 recorded the highest value. Length of micro shoots did not show any significant difference. In in vitro rooting studies, early rooting and significantly higher number of roots were recorded in full MS medium with three per cent sucrose and IBA 1.0 mgL-1. Root length was highest in the combination of half MS with 1.5 per cent sucrose and IBA 3.0 mgL-1. Well rooted plants were hardened after potting in pro trays containing 1:1 (v/v) sterilized coco peat and vermiculite. After one month of planting out, 90 per cent of the plants were found to survive.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of clonal variation in banana musa spp. (aab group) 'rasthali'
    (Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2018) Dhanyasree, K; KAU; Sobhana, A
    The study entitled ‘Evaluation of clonal variation in banana Musa spp. (AAB group) ‘Rasthali’’ was carried out at Banana Research Station, Kannara during May 2017- July 2018 with the objective to conduct survey in central parts of Kerala and assess the natural variability in Rasthali clones of banana. Clones collected from Palakkad and Thrissur districts along with clones maintained at BRS, Kannara were planted in randomized block design with three replications. The clones were characterized based on IPGRI descriptor for banana. The analysis of variance revealed that significant variation for characters like plant height, plant girth, length of leaf, width of leaf, total leaf area/ plant, length of petiole, number of leaves and functional leaves, duration of vegetative phase, shoot to harvest duration, total crop duration, bunch length, bunch weight, number of hands/ bunch, number of fingers/ hands, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit girth, TSS, total sugars, sugar-acid ratio, fruit peel thickness, pulp-peel ratio and shelf life of ripe fruits at ambient conditions. Plant height, plant girth, total leaf area/ plant at bunch emergence stage and total crop duration were highest for Veneer Poovan and highest yield was obtained for Veneer Poovan, Valiya Poovan and Marthaman. Valiya Poovan recorded greatest fruit length, fruit girth and fruit weight. The quality parameters like TSS, total sugars and sugar- acid ratio were recorded highest in Marthaman whereas fruit peel thickness and shelf life were high in Andhra Poovan and, highest pulp- peel ratio in Veneer Poovan. Highest genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were observed for fruit weight. High heritability coupled with genetic gain was observed in all characters except number of hands per bunch, bunch length and bunch weight. The character fruit weight with high value for GCV, PCV and heritability, coupled with genetic gain can be used for direct selection and further breeding programmes. Total crop duration, fruit length, number of fingers per hand, fruit weight, plant girth and fruit girth had showed positive direct effect on bunch weight per plant while, plant height, bunch length and number of hands per bunch showed negative direct effect on bunch weight. Organoleptic evaluation revealed that highest mean score for taste, texture, sweetness, flavour, colour and overall acceptability of fruits was in Marthaman which also recorded high TSS, total sugars, sugar- acid ratio and less acidity. Lowest mean scores for sweetness, flavour, overall acceptability and taste were observed in Cheriya Poovan. Score for colour and texture were minimum in Veneer Poovan. The present study revealed that, based on yield, quality parameters and organoleptic evaluation, Marthaman was the best.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardization of macropropagation technique in banana (musa (aab) 'nendran')
    (Department of Fruit Science, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2018) Amal Premachandran; KAU; Sajan Kurien
    The quality of the planting material is of paramount importance in successful crop production and banana is no different. Dearth of planting materials and heavy demand ends up with banana farmers forsaking the sucker quality aspects. Different techniques have been attempted for activation of new sucker. However, a standardized protocol of rapid mass multiplication macropropagation technique to produce quality planting material in Nendran is lacking and is the need of the hour. Hence, this study was undertaken with the prime objective of standardizing the bud activation/ invigoration technique leading to efficient sucker production. The second objective was to identify the ideal potting/ grow bag media preferably using locally available and cost effective materials. The third objective was to study the efficacy of the application of biofertilizers particularly Glomus fasciculatum and Azospirillum in macropropagation as this has already been proven to be have positive effect on the growth and yield of banana and finally to study the effect of micronutrient boron and zinc in improving macropropagation efficiency. The study was taken up at Banana Research Station (BRS), Kannara, during 2016- 18 using disease free healthy suckers of Nendran (Musa AAB) and the new sprouts were evaluated for all major morphological characters in all the four experiments. Additionally, carbohydrate content of banana corm was analyzed in the first experiment, percent root colonization and spore count of Glomus fasciculatum, population count of Azospirillum and major soil nutrients (N, P and K) in the biofertilizer experiment, and the nutrient content of selected nutrients in leaf samples in ratoon- 1, ratoon-2 and dead sucker in the micronutrient study were also analyzed and evaluated. In the first experiment on standardizing the bud activation/ invigoration technique leading to efficient sucker production, acid treatment by pouring 5.0 ml of one per cent H2SO4 acid on the apical meristem portion produced the highest mean number of quality suckers of 7.6 in ratoon – 1 and 4.6 in ratoon-2 respectively. Based on the carbohydrate content it could be inferred that the reduction in the inherent carbohydrate reserve had affected the sucker production from mother sucker stage to ratoon-2. In the second experiment to identify the ideal potting/ grow bag, it was found that the soil media gave the highest mean number of quality suckers in ratoon- 1 (5.6) and 4.3 in ratoon-2. In the second ratoon sucker sprouting was only observed in the soil media irrespective of quantity of media used. In the third experiment to study the efficacy of the application of biofertilizers, particularly Glomus fasciculatum and Azospirillum in macropropagation. The treatment, 20g of Glomus fasciculatum plus 10g of Azospirillum per sucker (T10) recorded the highest mean number of quality suckers (4.3) whereas in the second ratoon it was the treatment 30g of Glomus fasciculatum plus 30g of Azospirillum per sucker that recorded the highest sucker production. Based on the spore count, percent colonization and nutrient content of media, it can be confirmed that T10 is the most effective treatment. The soil nutrient analysis revealed that all treatments recorded higher values than that in the control. The fourth experiment to study the effect of micronutrients boron and zinc in macropropagation confirmed that application of Zn (0.1%) to the sucker recorded highest mean number of quality suckers (4.0) in the first ratoon but it was application of Zn at 0.5% that recorded the maximum number of suckers of 4.6 in ratoon-2. This clearly showed that Zn has a promotive role in the sucker production probably by the proven route of enhanced production of auxin. The micronutrient analysis revealed a decreasing trend from ratoon- 1 to ratoon-2 and dead suckers due to dilution effect. The economic analysis based on B: C ratio revealed that in the first experiment the ratio was found to be 0.345. This is due to high cost of coir pith and sawdust. This could be significantly improved in the second experiment where in the ratio was 2.29. In the third experiment it is 1.6 and in fourth it is 2.14. This is inclusive of the prohibitive labour cost added in actual terms. In small and medium holding farms. This part is done by the farmers themselves and hence in real terms the B: C ratio would be much higher. Thus, it can be concluded that with 5.0 ml of one per cent H2SO4 acid application on the apical meristem portion of sucker in 20 kg soil media along with a combined application 20g of Glomus fasciculatum plus 10g of Azospirillum, and Zn (0.1%) to the sucker in the first ratoon and Zn at 0.5% in ratoon-2 will form a standard protocol of rapid multiplication using macropropagation technique for quality planting material production in banana (Musa (AAB) ‘Nendran’