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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: Home Science × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2009 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Diet,lifestyle pattern and health profile of professionals in software industry
    (Department of Home Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2009) Renjini, R; KAU; Suma, Divakar
    The present study on the ‘Diet, lifestyle pattern and health profile of professionals in software industry‘ was conducted to assess the socio–economic characteristics, dietary pattern, lifestyle and health profile of professionals. Hundred software professionals were selected from Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram, towards the study. A group of 50 professionals were taken as control group, with similar age, educational qualification and 5 years of experience status. The family back ground of the respondents revealed that, in both groups most of them belonged to nuclear families. Marital status of the respondents also showed that majority of them in both groups were unmarried. Educational status of the respondents indicated that in both groups majority of the respondents had completed their degree level of education and majority had an experience of 5 – 10 years in their occupation. The personal income of the IT respondents showed that majority had a monthly income between Rs. 50000 – 100000 and their monthly family income fell in the income group of Rs. 100001 – 200000. The assessment of social participation showed that majority of the respondents in both groups were not members in any organizations. Food consumption pattern of the respondents indicated that most of them were non-vegetarians in both groups and in IT group majority of the respondents were ‘night time nibblers’, some of them were ‘meal skippers’. Assessment of mean nutrient intake showed that among both groups energy, protein and fat intake was found to be well above the RDA. Morbidity pattern of the respondents portrayed that among IT group, majority had back pains, vision problems, shoulder pain and hyperlipidemia. But among the Non IT group, none of them were reported to have such complaints. Body Mass Index of the respondents revealed that majority of both groups were normal. Assessment of TST and WHR also revealed that majority among both groups had high TST and WHR. Assessment of stress level revealed that 2 percent of the IT respondents were found to have very high stress, and 4 percent had high stress. None of the Non IT respondents belonged this category. Nutritional status index of the respondents revealed that, among the IT group 44 percent of the IT male respondents had low NSI, while among IT female respondents 46 percent had low NSI.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional profile of women labour in coir sector
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2009) Deepa, R; KAU; Indira, V
    A study on “Nutritional profile of women labour in coir sector” was conducted during 2007-2008 among women coir workers of organized and unorganized sectors in Alappuzha district. A total of 60 women coir workers were selected from organized sector and 60 women from unorganized sector constituting 120 women coir workers as the sample for the study. The details on socio-economic status and food consumption pattern of the family and working pattern, nutritional status, energy balance and occupational hazards of respondents were collected from the respondents. Information regarding socio-economic condition of the families revealed that most of the families in organized and unorganized sectors were Hindus and belonged to backward caste with a family size of 4 to 6 members. Majority of the family members in organized and unorganized sectors were literates. The monthly income of the families varied from Rs.1000 to 5000. Majority of the families in both organized (58.33%) and unorganized sectors (63.33%) owned upto 10 cents of land. All the families in both sectors borrowed money from different sources. Majority of the families in both sectors did not have the habit of saving money for future purpose. All the families in organized sector had their own houses with brick as the wall material and tiles as the roofing material with three to four rooms. Drinking water, electricity, recreational and lavatory facilities were found to be satisfactory. . All the families in both groups were non vegetarians and consumed rice as their staple food. Food expenditure pattern of the families revealed that in both sectors maximum amount of the income was spent on cereals. Majority of the families purchased food items from PDS and nearby shops on a weekly basis. The most frequently used food items were cereals, other vegetables, fats and oils, spices and condiments, sugar and fish in both the sectors. Advance meal planning was popular in both groups with three major meals a day pattern. Age of the respondents varied from 23 to 55 years and majority of the respondents in both sectors were married. All the respondents in organized sector and 81.67 per cent respondents in unorganized sector were found to be literate. All the respondents in organized sector worked for 6 days in a week for 7 to 8 hours in a day from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm with specific time for interval in the morning, noon and evening. In unorganized sector the respondents worked for 3 to 6 days in a week with out any specific time schedule. All respondents in both sectors used to get their wages on weekly basis. In organized sector the wage of most of the respondents varied from Rs 300 to Rs 400 week and in unorganized sector it varied from Rs 200 to 300 in a week. Details of morbidity pattern among the respondents for the past one year revealed chikungunia as the most important epidemic and 53 per cent of the respondents in organized and 65 per cent in unorganized sectors suffered from chikungunia during 2006-2007. Asthma, allergy, skin lesions and pain in the hands and legs as well as back pain were the prominent occupation related problems noted among the respondents of both organized and unorganized sectors. Body mass index showed that about 58.33 per cent in organized and 51.67 per cent of respondents in unorganized sector had normal BMI in the range of 18.5 to 22.9. Among the respondents who were undernourished 85.72 per cent in organized sector and 80 per cent in unorganized sector were found to be having mild malnutrition. The food and nutrient intake of the respondents indicated that the intake of most of the food groups were lower than the RDA. The intake of other vegetables, roots and tubers and flesh foods were found to be higher than the recommended allowances in both sectors. The intake of most of the nutrients were also lower than the RDA. Clinical examination showed symptoms like xerosis, pigmentation, angular stomatitis, chalky teeth, dental carries, loss of luster in hair and pale but coated tongue among both sectors of respondents. Biochemical estimation of blood for haemoglobin showed that 70 per cent of respondents in organized sector and 85 per cent in unorganized sector had anaemia. All the women coir workers were observed to have negative energy balance when their daily energy intake and daily energy expenditure were compared.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Presentation of ripe mango chunks by hurdle technology
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2009) Rekha Raveendran, R S; KAU; Nandini, P V
    Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most important tropical fruit crops and is often called as “King of fruits”. Although India is the second largest producer of fruits, the domestic fruit industry is fraught with the massive problem of wastage caused by the woefully inadequate post harvest facilities and other supportive infrastructure including cold chain.The present study entitled “Preservation of ripe mango chunks by hurdle technology” is a comprehensive study carried out with an objective to increase the shelf life of mango chunks by hurdle technology.Two popular local varieties of mango viz Neelum and Kottukonam were selected for the study. The mangoes were washed, peeled and cut in to pieces and subjected to different combinations of treatments and stored in glass bottles at ambient and refrigerated conditions for a period of 30 days.Physical characteristics such as fruit weight, fruit length, flesh weight and stone weight of the selected two mango cultivars were assessed and found to be in favour of Neelum variety.Chemical constituents of the stored chunks such as moisture, pH, acidity, total sugar, reducing sugar and total phenol content were assessed in both the varieties of mango chunks in all the four treatments, at an interval of 0,15 and 30 days of storage at ambient and refrigerated conditions. The results revealed that moisture, pH and acidity was found to be higher in variety Kottukonam stored at refrigerated condition while total sugar, reducing sugar and total phenol contents were found to be higher in variety Neelum stored at ambient condition.The organoleptic qualities of the mango chunks such as appearance, colour, flavour, texture, taste and overall acceptability were assessed by a panel of selected Judges using a score card. The sensory evaluation revealed that among the quality attributes, appearance, flavour, texture and overall acceptability were found to be higher in variety Kottukonam where as colour and taste attribute were found to be higher in variety Neelum. Blanching of mango chunks decreased the quality attributes significantly.Treatment T4 had retained maximum scores for overall acceptability (4.14).The chunks stored at refrigerated condition were found to be highly acceptable for the judges. Storage condition had influenced the overall acceptability of the chunks and found that overall acceptability of mango chunks decreased as the storage period advances.Microbial examination of the chunks revealed that bacterial infestation was not detected in any of the samples stored up to a period of 30 days, but negligible yeast and mould growth were detected in Neelum and Kottukonam chunks stored at ambient condition. Yeast and mould growth were not detected in mango chunks stored at refrigerated condition up to a period of 15 days.Cost of the mango chunks was worked out for all the treatments and was found to be reasonable.It may be concluded that mango chunks remained intact with consumer appeal for a period up to 15 days if stored under refrigerated condition after treating with 500 Brix sugar syrup containing 0.2% citric acid with KMS (0.35%) and sodium benzoate (0.04%).