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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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Subject: Genetics and Plant Breeding × Author: KAU × End date: 1998 × Start date: 1998 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardisation of selection criteria for cocoa hybrids
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1998) Raji Varghese; KAU; Pushkaran, K
    Investigation on standardisation of selection criteria for cocoa hybrids was conducted at Cadbury-KAU Co-operative cocoa Research Project (CC RP) Farm of Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara during 1994-96. Twenty nine hybrids grown under Progeny Trial I and their 18 parents maintained in CYT-I were used for the study. The influence of seedling height and girth on yield was more pronounced in the case of seedlings one year after sowing than with those of 4 mas, 5 mas and 6 mas. The vegetative vigour measured by the height and diameter of trunk was found to be better correlated with precocity. The correlation coefficients of pod characters viz., length, width and weight of pods, number of beans, wet bean weight and pericarp thickness and seed characters viz., length, width, thickness and dryweight worked out between hybrids and female parents showed significant relationship in the case of pod length (r = 0.649) and number of beans (r = 0.606). But with mid parental value, the hybrids showed high correlation for the characters pod length, pod weight, number of beans, seed length, seed width and seed thickness (0.65, 0.45, 0.86, 0.70, 0.76 and 0.70 respectively). Heritability estimated by regressing offspring on female parent was high for the characters pod width, seed length and seed width (0,7, 0.64 and 0.78 respectively). Among the 29 hybrids studied, the hybrid H-4 of the cross GI 10.3 x GVI 54 was found to be promising in terms of both pod and wet bean yield. With the seedling characters of hybrids taken one year after sowing, a multiple regression equation for wet bean yield was fitted as: Y = 43 + 0.195 x1 + 3.70 X2 Where, x1 and X2 are height and girth of one year old seedlings respectively. This can be taken as a seedling selection criteria for cocoa hybrids.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Combining ability for biological nitrogen fixation traits and yield components in blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1998) Beena Thomas; KAU; Sreekumar, S G
    The research programme was carried out at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1995-96. The objective was to assess the general and specific combining abilities and gene action involved in the inheritance of biological nitrogen fixation traits and yield components in blackgram, as a preliminary step for developing high yielding varieties with good biological nitrogen fixation capacity. The five lines, three testers and their 15 combinations were evaluated in a replicated field experiment and data on twelve characters were collected and subjected to line x tester analysis. The best general combiners for important biological nitrogen fixation traits were COBG305 and Pant U19 among lines and T9 among testers. The hybrid combination Pant U19 x T9 was the best specific combiner for these characters. In the case of number of pods and grain yield per plant, among. lines WBG-13 and among testers T9 were the best general combiners. The hybrids, LBG 17 x VBN 1 and WBG 13 x AKU4 were the best specific combinations for these traits. Considering the mean performance, sea effect and standard heterosis percentage Pant U 19 x T9 was identified as the best hybrid combination for nodule weight and nitrogen content at 50 per cent flowering. Regarding yield, the best hybrid was WBG 13 x AKU4. These superior combinations can be utilized further for developing improved blackgram varieties.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Heterosis and combining ability in greengram (Vigna radiate (L.) Wilczek) for biological nitrogen fixation and yield
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1998) Bhadra, K; KAU; Wilson, D
    The research programme was carried out in diallel manner at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapurarn during 1996-98. The objective was to assess the general and specific combining abilities and gene action involved in the inheritance of biological nitrogen fixation traits and yield attributes in green gram. The study was conducted in a diallel model in a replicated field experiment using seven varieties of greengram, out of them four were high yielders and three with good nitrogen fixing capacity. Seven parents and twenty one hybrids were also raised in pots with seven replications to study the nodulation efficiency of hybrids and parents. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes for all the characters. Except for nitrogen content at 50% flowering and harvest index, gca effects were not significant, for all the other characters both gca and sea effects were significant. The additive to dominance ratio indicated a preponderance of non-additive gene action for all characters except number of secondary roots and weight of nodules. The combining ability analysis revealed that NDM-88-14 was the good general combiner with respect to important nitrogen fixation traits where as P-9333 was the best general combiner with respect to yield and 2 other yield attributes. P-9333 x NDM-88-14 was the best specific combiner for nitrogen content. P-9333 x IIPRM-3, IIPRM-3 x LGG-444 and P-9333 x COGG-902 were the best specific combiners for yield and yield attributes. Combining the mean performance, sca effects and heterobeltiosis P-9333 x NDM-88-14 was identified as the good hybrid combination for nitrogen fixation traits. Re~arding yield, the hybrids P-9333 x IIPRM-3, P-9333 x COGG-902 turned out to be outstanding. Therefore, these hybrids can be utilized for crop improvement programme.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic evaluation of F4 and F5 generations of irradiated interspecific hybrids in okra(Abelmoschus spp.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1998) Anu Mary, C Philip; KAU; Manju, P
    A study was undertaken in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1997-98 for the genetic evaluation of the F 4 and F 5 generations of irradiated interspecific hybrids between A. esculentus and A. manihot with the objective of isolating high yielding yellow vein mosaic disease resistant lines from the segregating generations. The families in the F 4M4 generation were found to be late flowering and recorded higher mean values for number of leaves, number of branches, number of flowers and number of fruits per plant compared to the cultivated parent. The fruit yield per plant was higher than the parents inspite of the reduction noticed in average fruit weight. The families recorded lesser values for fruiting phase and duration and higher values for plant height. The crude fibre content of the fruits, yellow vein mosaic incidence and shoot and fruit borer infestation were lower in the families. This provided scope for the selection of several high yielding and YVM disease resistant types from the F 4M4 generation Number of flowers per plant and incidence of YVM disease recorded high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation. High heritability and genetic advance were observed for leaf number and weight of fruits per plant. Fruit yield per plant had high positive correlations with leaf number, number of branches, number of flowers and fruits per plant and plant height. Hence effective selection can be done for these characters for yield improvement. In the F sMs generation, the families were early flowering and recorded increase in leaf area, pollen sterility and number of branches per plant. The families also recorded higher mean values for leaf number, number of flowers and fruits per plant and plant height compared to the parents. The fruit yield per plant, average fruit weight and number of seeds per fruit were higher in the F sMs families. The fruiting phase and duration recorded an increase while the crude fibre content of fruits, incidence of YVM and incidence of shoot and fruit borer recorded lower mean values. Incidence of YVM disease had the maximum phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation. High heritability and genetic advance were observed for yield of fruits per plant. Weight of fruits per plant was significantly and positively correlated with leaf number, number of branches, number of flowers and fruits per plant, average fruit weight and plant height. Selection based on these characters will be effective in improving the yield of the crop. At the same time, high variation noted for YVM disease incidence offers more scope for selection based on disease incidence, in the process of selection for high yielding disease resistant types.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic variability and correlations in nine divergent varieties of coconut
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1998) Sindhumole, P; KAU; Ibrahim, K K
    An experiment was conducted at Instructional Farm, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 1995-96 on nine coconut varieties viz., West Coast Tall x Choughat Yellow Dwarf, West Coast Tall x Gangabondam, Laccadive Ordinary x Gangabondam.West Coast Tall, Philippines, Jawa, Cochin China, New Guinea and Laccadive Ordinary, Significant varietal variance was absent among several characters, Economic characters showed the highest genotypic coefficient of variation (16 to 22%). Among the vegetative and reproductive characters, heritability was maximum for petiole length (52%) followed by the economic characters percent oil content and nut yield (45% each). Among the four reproductive characters studied for seasonal variability viz" spadix length (SL), branches spadix' (BS), female flowers spadix" (FF) and fruit set (FS), FF showed the maximum variation, FF andFS had been low during the rainy months, SL was markedly reduced during the winter months, Phenotypic correlation coefficients were generally lower than genetic SInce environmental correlation was either less in magnitude or in opposite direction in relation to the genetic, Genotypic correlations were mostly negative where vegetative characters were involved and positive for other pairs, Only nut yield among the four economic characters was correlated with both vegetative and reproductive characters, Other economic characters were dependent only on vegetative characters. Similarly step-down regression revealed that only vegetative characters were retained in the final model for all the economic characters except nut yield. Vegetative characters also showed higher direct effects than reproductive characters on the variability of economic characters. Trunk height generally produced highest direct effects on the economic characters, but was modified by the indirect effects to large extent except in the case of oil content (%). Correlation, regression and path analyses suggested that reproductive characters had less effect on economic characters when all the characters were recorded during the 'same year. This may possibly be due to genotype x season (year) interaction for the reproductive characters.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic analysis of greengram genotypes for shade tolerance
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1998) Rajeswari, A; KAU; Kamalam, N
    An investigation was carried out to evaluate the shade tolerance potential of 25 genotypes of green gram under partially shaded coconut gardens in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The genotypes were evaluated in a randomised block design with three replications and observations were recorded for nineteen quantitative characters. The genetic parameters, correlation and path coefficients were studied and a selection index was formulated to identify superior genotypes. The genotypes showed significant differences for all the characters except incidence of pod borer Measurement of periodical shade intensity did not show significant difference among the plots which indicated the prevalence of uniform shade. High genotypic coefficient of variation was observed for leaf area index (flowering) followed by number of abnormal, oblique, unfilled pods, LAI (pod formation), pod clusters per plant and pods per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was recorded for pods per plant, LAI at flowering and pod formation and pod clusters per plant indicating additive gene action. Correlation studies indicated that pods per plant followed by branches per plant, clusters per plant, photosynthetic efficiency (flowering) and LAI (flowering) showed strong positive correlation with grain yield whereas days to blooming, days to first harvest and grains per pod recorded negative correlation. The path coefficient analysis revealed high positive direct contribution of pods per plant to grain yield per plant. In addition, pod length and plant height also showed positive direct contribution to grain yield per plant. A selection index was constructed based on grain yield per plant and 9 yield contributing characters identified through correlation and path analysis. Five top ranking genotypes viz. IIPRM 3, MGG 314, RMG 353, Ganga 4 and LGG 460 were identified for cultivation under partially shaded condition of coconut garden and for further breeding programme.