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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: Horticulture × Author: Joseph, Philip × End date: 1979 × Start date: 1978 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Morphological studies and quality evaluation of turmeric types
    (Department of Horticulture (Plantation Crops), College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1978) Joseph, Philip; KAU; Sivaraman Nair, P C
    A study using 19 turmeric types was conducted during the period from April 1977 to June 1978 at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara with a view to find out the possibility of distinguishing different types based on morphological parameters, to screen out the types with high yield and quality, to evaluate their relative susceptibility or tolerance to important pests and diseases and to study the yield and quality variations at different periods of maturity. The study revealed that morphological characters are not reliable to classify the turmeric types, although some of them can be distinguished by rhizome characters. The morphological characters such as the height of plant, length and breadth of leaf, leaf area index, petiole length, number of leaves per tiller, number of roots per plant, length of root, length of primary fingers and girth of mother rhizome were positively correlated with yield, whereas the intensity of shoot borer attack was negatively correlated with yield. All the types were susceptible to the incidence of ‘leaf spot’, ‘leaf blotch’ and shoot borer infection. The type VK5 (Mannuthy Local) showed the minimum incidence of pest and diseases. The yield of turmeric showed significant variation among the types. Maximum yield of green turmeric was noticed in the type VKI (Chayapasupa) whereas the type VK5 (Mannuthy Local) recorded the maximum yield of cured produce. Significant variation was noticed among the types with regards to the oleoresin and curcumin content. The oleoresin content varied between 12.1 and 21.1 per cent and the variation in curcumin content was from 2.33 to 6.55 per cent. The uncured turmeric samples had a higher content of oleoresin and curcumin than that of cured samples. The yield, percentage recovery of dry produce, oleoresin and curcumin varied significantly among the different periods of maturity in case of the types VK4 (G.L.Puram-II), VK5 (Mannuthy Local), VK17 (Armoor Cll-324) and VKII (Vontimitta). The dry yield, curcumin and oleoresin per hectare were maximum on 270th day whereas the maximum percentage recovery of oleoresin was on 180th and 270th day after planting. The types VK5 (Mannuthy Local), VK1 (Chayapasupa), VK2 (Kuchupudi) and VK3 (Kodur) can be recommended for large scale cultivation in the plains of Kerala as these types are found to be superior in yield of dry produce, oleoresin and curcumin per hectare. Of these VK5 (Mannuthy Local) and VKl (Chayapasupa) are preferred because of the low incidence of pest and diseases. The optimum time of harvesting turmeric is found to be on 270th day after planting under Vellanikkara conditions.