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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: Roy Isaac Varghese × End date: 1997 × Start date: 1997 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Combining ability for drought tolerance and yield in blackgram
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1997) Roy Isaac Varghese; KAU; Abdul Khader, K M
    A research programme consisting of five drought tolerant lines, three high yielding testers and their fifteen hybrids was carried out at the Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 1996-97, to evaluate the combining ability and gene action for drought tolerance, yield and related characters in blackgram. The lines and testers were selected based on previous performance and crossed and subjected to line x tester analysis and data recorded on both yield and drought related characters. Significant difference among the treatments was observed for all characters. Differences among parents were observed for all characters except number of branches per plant and number of pods per plant. Crosses were significantly different for all the characters. Therefore combining ability analysis was carried out for all characters. Specific combining ability variance was significant for all traits except number of branches per plant indicating the importance of non additive gene action. Both additive and non additive gene action were found to be involved for duration of the crop, number of pods per plant and grain yield per plant. However in all cases non additive gene action was predominant. Among lines, T 9 emerged as the best general combiner for various yield and drought related characters. The line, CoBG 302 was also found to be a better general combiner for various characters. Among testers, WBG 67 proved to be the best general combiner followed by VB 11. No specific cross combination was found to be significantly different for all the traits together. However the cross PDU 101 x WBG 67, CoBG 302 x CoBG 303 and T 9 x VB 11 were found to be the better specific combiner, when all the characters are considered. In short on the basis of combining ability estimated the lines T 9 and CoBG 302? the testers WBG 67 and VB 11 and the hybrids PDU 101 x WBG67, CoBG 302 x CoBG 303 and T 9 x VB 11 were suggested for further utilization for improvement.