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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: 2003 × Start date: 2003 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Inheritance of resistance to leaf hopper [Amrasca biguttula biguttula (Ishida)] in okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench.
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2003) Deepthi, Sivanandan; KAU; Sunny, K Ommen
    Okra is an important vegetable crop grown in India and abroad for its fresh green pods. The leafhopper Amrasca biguttula biguttula is a major sucking pest of okra causing high damage to plants. High frequency of fruit picking and repeated application of chemical pesticides to tackle the hopper menace, often leaves toxic residues in the fruits. So it is inevitable that pest resistant varieties should be developed. Hence a study was undertaken to study the genetic variability, for yield and its component characters as well leafhopper resistance indices in a collection of okra genotypes, to estimate the combining ability and heterosis as well as gene effects involved in the inheritance of these characters using line x tester analysis. Forty okra germplasms collected from vanous sources were evaluated simultaneously for yield and leaf hopper resistance. ANOV A revealed that the treatments varied significantly for leafhopper resistance and also there was significant variation among treatments for yield and yield attributes viz., days to first flowering, leaf axil bearing first flower, number of primary branches, number of fruits per plant, length of fruit, girth of fruit, weight of fruit, yield per plant duration. Six genotypes exhibited resistance to the leafhopper throughout the crop duration. High values for phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation was recorded for number of primary branches followed by leafhopper population count. High heritability was exhibited by yield per plant followed by duration. Maximum genetic advance was observed for number of primary branches followed by yield per plant. Correlation analysis indicated that most character combinations had higher genotypic correlation coefficient than phenotypic correlation coefficient. Yield exhibited significant and positive correlation with number of fruits and average fruit weight and negative significant association with leaf axil bearing first flower, leafhopper population count and leafhopper injury score. Path analysis was carried out for nine biometric as well as two leafhopper injury indices which had high correlation with yield. Highest positive direct effect was exhibited by number of fruits while the highest negative direct effect on yield was recorded for leafhopper population count per plant. Resistant as well as susceptible genotypes were selected based on leafhopper population counts and leafhopper injury score. Five resistant lines (female parent) viz., Nemom (T21), re 45792, Venjaramood (T23), AE 279 and Palappur (T20) and three susceptible testers (male parent) viz., Venganoor (T1S), Aruna (T37) and Kalliyur (T24) were selected as parents for L x T analysis. These were crossed in a line x tester fashion to produce 15 hybrids. During L x T programme highly significant sea as well as gea effects were obtained for yield. Lt was the best line while T 2 was the best tester. Among hybrids L3 x T 2 was the best considering leafhopper resistance as well as yield and yield attributes. Negative and significant sea effects were observed for days to first flowering and leafhopper population count. It possessed all the desirable characters like high yield, greater weight and girth of fruits and number of fruits. It is also an early flowering type. The ratio of additive to dominance variance was less than one for most of the traits studied including leafhopper population counts and leafhopper injury , scores, indicates the predominance of non-additive gene action. Since there is preponderance of non additive gene effects for characters such as yield and its components as well as leafhopper resistance parameters, exploitation of hybrid vigour is an appropriate breeding approach where yield and leafhopper resistance are considered.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Compatibility studies in monopodial orchids
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2003) Ninitha Nath, C; KAU; Lekha Rani C
    A research programme "Compatibility studies In monopodia! orchids" was carried out in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2001-2003 with the objective of undertaking intra and intergeneric hybridization and in vitro embryo culture in monopodial orchids. Twelve monopodial orchid genotypes comprising of six mono generic and six bigeneric hybrids were selected as parents after initial evaluation. They were evaluated adopting completely randomized design with six replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for almost all the characters studied. Genotypic and phenotypic coefficients of variation were high for number of aerial roots, leaf area and width of leaf. Characters like number of aerial roots, width of leaf, leaf area and number of flowers per inflorescence had high heritability coupled with high genetic advance. Significant positive inter-correlation at genotypic and phenotypic levels was observed for length of flow'er and width of flower with number of leaves per cane, number of aerial roots, number of spikes per cane, length of inflorescence and length of scape. The 12 parental genotypes were crossed in all possible combinations (144) after preliminary studies on floral biology. A total of 116 crosses were done including 50 crosses, 54 reciprocals and 12 selfs. Incompatibility reaction was noticed at different stages ranging from flower abscission before the onset of any visible post pollination change to instances where seeds geminated but aborted in culture. A total of 58 combinations attempted succumbed to incompatibility at these different stages from pollination to deflasking. Harvestable green capsules were obtained from 58 combinations and they were inoculated in MS half strength basal medium. Percentage capsule yield ranged from 8 to 38 in the various hybrid combinations. Percentage filled seeds ranged from 18 to 76 in the various combinations. Capsules from twelve combinations did not contain seeds and seeds from ten combinations did not germinate on inoculation. Protocorms of developing seedlings from twelve combinations aborted at various stages of in vitro development. The remaining 24 cross combinations were taken through three to four subculture passages. Seedlings having 2-3 leaves and 2-4 roots were deflasked. Significant differences among the combinations were observed with respect to number of days taken for germination initiation, number of days taken for development of protocorms, chlorophyll, first leaf and first root primordia and for deflasking. Significant differences in seedling morphology were observed among the 24 hybrid combinations at deflasking with respect to all the seven vegetative characters studied.