Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

19994
Reset filters
Subject: Genetics and Plant Breeding × End date: 1999 × Start date: 1999 × Type: Thesis ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Estimation of combining ability and heterosis in snakegourd
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1999) Radhika V S; KAU; Abdul Khader, K M
    A diallel analysis in snakegourd iTrichosanthes anguina. L.) was carried out in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period 1997-1999. The research work was taken up to assess the general and specific combining abilities, nature of gene action and also to estimate the heterosis for various characters. The six parents involved were selected from a previous D2 analysis conducted in the Department and were the most divergent ones. They are PI (Nedumangad local), P2 (Thrikkannapuram local), P3 (Kanhangad local - 3), P4 (Vlathankara local), Ps (Kaumudi) and P6 (Idukki local). The observations were recorded on yield and yield attributing characters. Significant differences were detected among the mean performance of the genotypes, for all the characters studied. The combining ability analysis revealed that the parent P, (Kaumudi) was the best general combiner for most of the yield and and yield contributing traits. The hybrids PI x Ps, P2 X P, and P2 x P6 were superior specific combiners in yield characters like mean weight of fruit, number of fruits per plant and fruit yield per plant respectively. The crosses involving P, and P6 were found to be good specific combiners for yield and yield contributing characters. The variance due to general and specific combining ability was significant in almost all the characters studied indicating the significance of both additive and non additive gene action in the characters. The sea variance was found to be more than gca variance in most of the characters studied indicating the predominance of non additive gene action. The ratio of additive to dominance variance was less than one in most of the characters again indicating the predominant influence of non additive gene action which strongly substantiated the validity of the heterosis breeding method in improving the crop. Manifestation of heterosis was seen for all the characters studied. Among the hybrids, P2 x Ps had the maximum standard heterosis for yield and yield related characters. The crosses PI x Ps, P, X P(, and P3 x P, also exhibited significant standard heterosis for these characters. In general the hybrids involving the parent Ps was found to be more heterotic.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Intervarietal hybridization in Anthurium andreanum Linden
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1999) Renu, R S; KAU; Mercy, S T
    The present study on evaluation of morphological characters and compatibility reactions among ten selected Anthurium andreanum varieties, was undertaken to analyse the scope for genetic improvement in this crop. The analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the ten varieties for the twelve quantitative characters studied. This reveals the high genetic potential for the improvement of this crop. Variability studies indicated that high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation for the characters plant height, position of candle, days to initiation of female phase, number of days in female phase and spathe size. The characters with heritability coupled with high genetic advance values were plant height, spathe size, spathe-candle ratio, position of candle, number of flowers per candle and days to initiation of female phase, indicating additive gene action. Plant height was found to be positively correlated with number of leaves or spadices per year. Spathe size and candle length were positively correlated. Candle length had high positive genotypic correlation with position of candle and number of flowers per candle. Pollen fertility ranged from 42 per cent in Liver Red to 13.7 per cent in Mauritius Orange. Study of pollen emergence pattern revealed significant differences among the varieties. Pollen emergence was completely absent in Pompon Red, Nitta Orange and Midori Green during the period of study. Pollen production was high in the cooler months of October to December and was suppressed during the hot months of March to June. Cross compatibility analysis based on the results of intervarietal hybridisation was done using the three parameters; i.e., percentage of candles bearing fruits, percentage fruit set and percentage seed •germination. The percentage of fruit bearing candles were highest for Nitta Orange (51.93 per cent) and lowest for Mauritius Orange (9.51 per cent). The only two selfings that produced fruiting candles were LR x LR and DT x DT. The number of fruits per candle ranged from five to 183. The variety Pompon Red had the highest average number of fruits per candle and it was lowest for Lady Jane. The percentage of fruit set was below 50 per cent for all the crosses except PR x LR. The crosses involving Pompon Red as female parent had the highest percentage of fruit set. The number of days taken for seed germination varied from three to twelve days. The seed germination was highest (87.5 per cent) for the cross DT x MW. Among the varieties it ranged from 69 per cent in Tropical Red to 2.3 per cent in Midori Green. Seedling survival at four to six month stage was highest for the crosses of Mauritius Orange and the lowest for those of Midori Green. The cross TR x MW showed 100 per cent seedling survival. Scoring of the compatibility reactions based on fruiting candles, fruit set and seed germination, on a scale ranging from O to 9, showed the highest compatibility' score of nine for PR x LR and CR x MW crosses. The best female parents were identified as Nitta Orange, Liver Red and Pompon Red based on the overall performance. The analysis of the performance of varieties as pollen parents on the same basis showed that Ceylon Red, Merengue White and Liver Red are the best pollen parents. These observations showed that the performance of a variety as female parent was different from its performance as male parent. Only the variety Ceylon Red and Liver Red performed well both as female and male parent.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic analysis of segregating generation of inter varietal crosses in greengram
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1999) Ebenezer Babu Rajan, R; KAU; Wilson, D
    The research programme was carried out at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, VelIayani during rabi season 1998-99, with the objective of identifying superior progenies in the F2 generation for yielding ability and nitrogen fixation 'potential. Seven parents and F 2 progenies of their 21 crosses of greengram were evaluated, adopting a randemised block design with three replications. The data collected for thirteen quantitative characters were analysed statistically. The genetic parameters, correlation and path coefficients were studied and a selection index was formulated to identify superior genotypes. The treatments showed significant difference for all the characters. High genotypic coefficient of variation was observed for weight of nodules in the root at 50 per cent flowering, dry weight of plants at maturity, nitrogen content of plants at maturity and grain yield. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for weight of nodules in the root at 50 per cent flowering followed by dry weight of plants at maturity, grain yield, number of pods, number of cIuslters per plant, harvest index, hundred grain weight, number of secondary roots at maturity, plant height and shoot/root ratio indicating additive gene action and reliability of these characters during selection programme for crop improvement. High positive genotypic correlation for number of pods per plant followed by number of clusters per plant, harvest index, plant height, hundred grain weight and number of seeds per pod indicated selection based on one or more of the above components may result in the improvement of grain yield. The path coefficient analysis revealed high positive direct effects of number of pods on grain yield. In addition hundred grain weight and number of seeds. per pod also showed positive direct contribution to grain yield. A selection index was constructed based on grain yield per plant and eight yield contributing characters identified through correlation and path analysis. Based on the selection index one of the parental varieties CoGG-902 ranked first followed by Pusa-9333 x NDM-88-14, Pusa-9333, KM-1285 x CoGG-902 and IlPRM-3 x LG-444 were identified as superior for yielding ability and nitrogen fixing potential.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Induction and evaluation of genetic variability in chethikoduveli
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1999) Arya, K; KAU; Gopimony, R
    The present study "Induction and evaluation of genetic variability in Chethikoduveli (Plumbago rosea L.) was undertaken in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1995-1998. The study was undertaken through the conduct of two experiments. (i) Germplasm collection and evaluation (ii) induction of variability. Two noded semi-hardwood cuttings of seven ecotypes of Plumbago rosea and one related species, Plumbago zeylanica were used for the first experiment. The ecotype of P. rosea from College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara was used for the second experiment. The cuttings were treated with six doses of gamma rays (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 kR) and M I V I generation was evaluated. Pollen germination was not noticed in P. rosea whereas the pollen grams of P. zeylanica germinated. The germination of seeds was more quickly in scarified seeds of P. zeylanica than seeds with intact seed coat. All the pollination techniques failed to give any positive result on seed set in P. rosea. Normal pairing of chromosomes were observed in meiotic cells of both the species. All characters studied had significantly high genotypic correlation with yield. High estimates of heritability (broad sense) was observed for all characters studied. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for plant height and root length which indicate that direct selection for improvement of these traits will be effective. Path coefficient analysis showed that dry root yield had maximum direct effect on plumbagin content of roots and plant height had maximum direct effect on fresh and dry root yield. The index score for selection was highest for P zeylanica followed by the ecotype of P rosea from Kottayam. EDso of gamma rays for the stem cuttings of P rosea was 1.685 kR. The sprouting percentage of cuttings was significantly decreased with increased doses of mutagen. Progressive delay in sprouting was noticed as the level of dose increased. The percentage lethality was higher in mutagen treated population than in the control. The optimum dose for inducing maximum yield and yield attributing characters ranged between 0.70 kR and 0.85 kR of gamma rays. High yielding mutants were observed in plants treated with 1.0 kR of gamma rays. The highest values for yield and yield attributing characters were obtained for 0.75 and 1.00 kR gamma rays. Gamma rays at 1.0 kR was most effective in inducing variability for root yield.