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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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20211
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Subject: Genetics and Plant Breeding × Author: Neeraja, Puthiamadom × Start date: 1963 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Breeding brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) for resistance to brinjal shoot and fruit borer
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2021) Neeraja, Puthiamadom; KAU; Jiji, Joseph
    Brinjal shoot and fruit borer is one of the most devastating pests of brinjal. It is a major bottle neck in the cultivation of egg plant. Identification of resistant sources and transfer of these genes into the high yielding varieties is an important step in mitigating the damage caused by this pest. Keeping the above facts in view, the present investigation entitled “Breeding brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) for resistance to brinjal shoot and fruit borer” was taken up in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics from Sept 2017- April 2021. Thirty one accessions belonging to eight different species of Solanum were evaluated in the field for resistance to brinjal shoot and fruit borer during Aug- Nov 2018. The treatments showed significant difference for all the characters studied. The highest number of primary branches was observed in IC618034 belonging to S. virginianum and the lowest number was observed in IC618035 belonging to Solanum melongena. Infestation of shoots by borer started nearly 7th week after transplanting. The number of damaged shoots was highest in Surya. The per cent shoot infestation ranged from 0 to 75 per cent. The wild accessions were resistant to brinjal shoot and fruit borer and only the melongena lines exhibited considerable damage. The extent of per cent fruit damage ranged from 0 per cent in the wild accessions to 64.67 per cent in Arka Neelkanth. Yield per plant and marketable yield per plant was highest in Vengeri. Based on the observation from the screening experiment conducted during August –November 2018, eleven accessions were evaluated further for a confirmatory screening during March- July 2020. As there was considerable infestation by borer, artificial inoculation was not carried out. There was significant difference among the treatments for the characters studied. Highest yield per plant and marketable yield per plant was observed in Vengeri. Lowest yield was observed in IC624241 and IC624239. Yield loss was highest in Ponni and lowest in IC624239. The resistance index developed by Mishra et al. (1988) was followed to classify the accessions. The accessions IC618035, IC618044, IC624241, Arka Kusumkar and Vengeri were graded as resistant (1-10 %) with respect to per cent shoot damage. Based on the extent the of fruit damage, the accessions IC618035, IC618044 and IC624239 and Arka Kusumkar were graded as moderately resistant (11-20%). IC624241 and Vengeri were graded as resistant (0-10%). Haritha, Surya, Arka Keshav, Ponni and Arka Neelkanth were graded as highly susceptible (>40 %). The biophysical, anatomical and biochemical basis of resistance was elucidated in the selected accessions. Trichomes in Solanum sps. were stellate in shape with six trichome strands forming one asterisk. Trichome density on calyx was negatively and significantly correlated with shoot damage while trichome density on leaf was positively and significantly correlated with shoot damage. Pericarp thickness, fruit breadth, total sugar content and total nitrogen content were positively and significantly correlated with per cent fruit damage. Total phenol content showed a significant negative correlation with the per cent fruit infestation. The resistant lines IC618035, IC618044, IC624241, Arka Kusumkar and Vengeri were characterized by thick epidermis and cuticle, dense and compact cortex and cambium, well developed vascular bundles and small pith. IC618044, IC624241, IC618035, Arka Kusumkar and Vengeri falling under the resistant and moderately resistant category were selected as testers to cross with highly susceptible lines Haritha, Ponni and Arka Neelkanth. The twelve hybrids and parents were screened in the field along with the hybrid ‘Neelima’ as check during Dec 2020- April 2021 to check the per cent infestation of brinjal shoot and fruit borer. On the basis of per cent fruit infestation the hybrids Haritha x JRPH IC624241 and Ponni x IC624241 were graded as immune. Haritha x IC618044, Haritha x IC618035, Ponni x IC618035 and Ponni x Vengeri were graded as resistant. The hybrids Haritha x Vengeri , Haritha x Arka Kusumkar, Ponni x IC618044 and Neelima were graded as moderately resistant. Ponni x Arka Kusumkar was graded as tolerant. The hybrid Arka Neelkanth x IC618035 Arka Neelkanth x IC618044 were graded as highly susceptible. L x T analysis revealed that Vengeri can be considered as a good combiner with respect to per cent shoot damage, yield per plant and marketable yield per plant. While Arka Kusumkar is a good combiner with respect to number of fruits per plant, number of damaged fruits and per cent fruit damage. Among the lines, Ponni can be considered as a good combiner in terms of yield and marketable yield. Ponni x Vengeri can be considered to be superior as it exhibited high positive heterosis over the mid parent, better parent as well as the commercial check for yield as well as marketable yield and high negative heterosis for per cent shoot and fruit damage. Almost all the hybrids exhibited negative heterosis for per cent shoot and fruit damage. Ponni x Vengeri was ranked as ‘one’ on the basis of organoleptic evaluation conducted with a panel of ten judges. DNA fingerprinting of the superior F1 hybrids and the respective parents done using nineteen ISSR markers revealed that Arka Neelkanth was unique in a way that it produced 10 bands for UBC 836. Comparing other hybrids highest number of bands for UBC 868, UBC 816, UBC 836 and ISSR 08 were produced by Arka Neelkanth. UBC 826 was used to identify bands common in hybrids and parents in Haritha x IC618044, Haritha x Arka Kusumkar, Ponni x Arka Kusumkar and Arka Neelkanth x IC618044. The bands similar in parents and hybrids were identified in all the hybrids except Ponni x IC624241. Superior hybrids viz., Ponni x Vengeri, Ponni x Arka Kusumkar and Haritha x Vengeri can be evaluated further. Mapping populations can be developed from the segregating generations to develop functional markers for resistance to brinjal fruit and shoot borer.