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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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1988 - 198920
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Subject: Horticulture × Author: KAU × End date: 1989 × Start date: 1988 ×
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Now showing 1 - 9 of 20
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Divergence studies in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Pair)
    (Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Suresh Babu, V; KAU; Gopalakrishnan, T R
    The present investigation on "Divergence studies in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschat a Poir ) was conducted at the College of Horticulture , Vellanikkara, Trissur during June 1988 - Marc h 1989. Seventy one pumpkin genotypes collected from different part of India and abroad were utilized for the study. The extent of variability and divergence among 50 selected genotypes were assessed and grouped into 5 clusters based on Mahalanobis D2 statistic . Cluster I, II, III, I V and V contained 2, 7, 9, 12 and 20 genotypes respectively y . Intercluster distance was maximum between clusters I and II and was minimum between clusters III and V . Cluster I showed maximum average intercluster distance with any other cluster. Screening 71 genotypes for resistance/ tolerance to pumpkin mosaic and yellow vein mosaic diseases revealed that all genotypes except C M 214 were susceptible. Artificial inoculation studies confirmed immunity of C M 214 (Nigerian Iocal ) to pumpkin mosaic virus and yellow vein mosaic virus .
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Homeostatic analysis of components of genetic variance and inheritance of fruit colour, fruit shape and bitterness in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)
    (Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Abdul Vahab, M; KAU; Gopalakrishnan, P K
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    In vitro studies on the propagation of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum maton)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Reghunath, B R; KAU; Gopalakrishnan, P K
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Investigations on cytogenetics , flowering and seedset in ginger
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1988) Sathiabhama, K U; KAU; Sreekandan Nair, G
    Investigation on cytogenetics, flowering and seedset in ginger was carried out at the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara with the following objectives. 1. To workout the karyomorphology of ginger varieties and to study the cytogenetical polymorphism in relation to the plant morphology. 2. To study the meiotic irregularities in relation to pollen sterility in different varieties. 3. To study the effect of media and irradiation on the pollen germination and pollen tube growth in different varieties. 4. To work out the pollen – pistil interaction by fluorescence microscopy to decide on the presence of incompatibility mechanism in ginger. 5. To study the factor responsible for absence of fruitset and seedset in ginger. The study was carried on nine ginger varieties representing different geographical regions in India. Both morphological and cytogenetical characters were recorded. Studies were also conducted on pollen morphology, pollen-pistil interaction and on methods to over come the barriers in seed set. Absence of morphological difference between varieties adds to the use of cytogenetical investigations for the characterisation of varieties of ginger. The miotic index was found to be maximum during 5-6 AM. All the nine ginger varieties studied showed a chromosome number of 2n = 22. The karyotype of nine varieties of ginger studied showed considerable difference in their morphological features such as length of chromosomes, centromere position, total chromatin length and total chromosome volume. Such differences could have occurred through translocation, inversion and deletion of chromosome segments. Classification of karyotypes in ginger varieties fell in to primitive 1a and 1b group. During meiotic studies it was seen that the genome of ginger is highly unstable. Abnormalities like bridges and laggards were also present which will lead to the formation of micronuclei. Ginger flowers carry enough pollen grains in the single bilobed anther. But 60-84 per cent of the pollen grains were sterile. The high amount of meiotic irregularities may be leading to high percentage of pollen sterility. Out of the seven different media tried for pollen germination, the medium containing 8% sucrose + 60 ppm boric acid + 1% gelatin produced the highest percentage of germination of pollen grains (11.81%). The sterility and pollen germination was also correlated. Irradiation of pollan grains has been suggested to be effective in breaking the barriers in seedset. But it was seen that the irradiation of pollen grains was deteremental for the germination of pollen grains in ginger. Proper interaction between pollen and pistil is quite significant for the seed production. The study by using uv microscopy revealed the presence of spiny stigmatic surface which will prevent proper adherence, contact and germination of pollen grains. It is hard to see whether self and cross incompatibility is operating in ginger. In the present investigation many techniques for breaking incompatibility (if existing) such as bud pollination, artificial sibbing, artificial cross pollination between varieties, chemically aided pollination, mixed pollination, mentor pollination, stigma removal and artificial pollination failed to produce fruitset and seedset. Hence, based on the result the existence of incompatibility mechanism operating in ginger is quite complicated. Structural chromosomal aberrations such as translocation, deletions, inversions etc. leads to the sterility of microspores and megaspores. Pollen sterility ranging from 60 – 84 per cent might be one of the serious limitation for the setting of fruit and seeds in ginger. The spines present on the stigmatic surface prevent the pollen grain to get attached to the stigmatic surface during the act of pollination. Sterility is correlated with pollen germination and it is only upto 14.61 per cent in variety having maximum fertility. The germination of pollen grains was taking place very slowly so that flowers are withered before the pollen tube could reach the ovules. Coiling of pollen tube was also noticed during the advanced stages of pollen germination. The style length was very long (39,000 µ m) in ginger. But the pollen tube attained only 108 µ m in the best case under in vitro condition after 24 hours. So the possibility of pollan tube reaching the ovule is remote by the time flower will be withered and dehisced. The flowers were found to remain on the plant for less than 12 hours after anthesis. In essence, the absence of fruit set and seed set in ginger dose not seem to be controlled by a single factor, but an array of factors make this challenging problem more complex.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of growth regulators on rooting of different types of plating materials in black papper (Piper rigrum.L.
    (Department of Pomology, Floriculture and Landscapping, College of Horticulture, 1988) Gigi, Elizabeth; Clara, Francis; KAU; Aravindakshan, M
    Systematic studies were carried out in centre for Advanced Studies, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara to study different aspects of rooting of cuttings and anatomy of the root initiation and development in black pepper. For propagation studies, four different types of planting materials viz., runners (stolons), growing shoots (orthotrophs), hanging shoots (geogrophs) and laterals (plageotrophs) were treated with seradix-B, IAA, IBA, and IAA + IBA combination each at 500, 1000 and 1500 ppm concentrations planted under mist and open conditions. The results revealed that in all the planting materials IBA 1000 ppm treatment was superior with regard to rooting percentage and other root growth parameters such as number, length, fresh weight and dry matter production of roots. Regardless of the growth regulator treatments, mist had pronounced influence on root growth in all the planting materials. However, mist decreased the shoot weight and shoot/root ratio particularly in the final stages of observation. All the planting materials except laterals rooted readily during March but laterals recorded maximum rooting during June. Though there was not much difference among the planting materials with regard to their rooting ability, laterals were shy rooters and produced roots only after six weeks of planting while all other types produced root readily within three weeks of planting. For anatomical studies, rooting regions of the cuttings from all the treatments were used. The tissue origin of roots was found to be the parenchyma situated in the interfascicular region and three steps were identified in the process of root development. Structure of the stem and roots were also studied and described.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional requirement of Nendran banana under rice fields
    (Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1988) Geetha, V Nair; KAU; Ramachandran Nair, S
    An experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1986-87 to study the effect of 3 levels each of nitrogen (SCO# 300 and 400 g per plant per year)# potassium (300, 450 and 690 g per plant per year) and the split application (4.6 and 8 splits) on the growth yield end quality of Nendren1 grown In rice follows. A minimum dose of 100 g Per plant per year was given to all treatments except the controls. The experiment was laid out at 33 + 4 partially confounded factorial experiment with two replications confounding NK2S In replication I and NK2S2 in replication II respectively. Fertilizer dose as per package of practices recommendation (190 : 115 : 300 g l-12 P2O5 per plant per year) was applied in 2, 4, 6 and a splits to control plants ( 4 controls)
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardization of growing media for dendrobiums (Dendrobium spp.)
    (Department of Horticulture (Pomology & Floriculture and Landscaping), College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Anitha Paul, C; KAU; Rajeevan, P K
    The study was conducted at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 1988-89. The object of the study was to examine the effect of different growing media on the vegetative parameters of epiphytic orchids. Four species of Dendrobium, viz., D. farmeri, D. fimbriatum D. moschatum and D. mobile, selected based on their general performance at Vellanikkara conditions , were utilized for conducting the study. As the components of the media, five materials, viz., charcoal, brick, gravel, coconut fibre and husk, which were available locally, cheap and satisfying the growth requirements of epiphytic orchids were selected. All the possible combinations of these media, excluding their straight use , as well as the combination of all the five , were tried, thus consulting 25 treatments . The plant growth was observed based on five salient parameters recorded at monthly intervals, for seven months. There were ten plants in each treatment, from which five plants were randomly selected for taking the observations. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomised design. The result revealed that the media could significantly influence all the five vegetative characters, viz., number of new shoots, height, leaves, leaf area and number of pseudobulbs of the new shoots. In one species or other.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardisation of epicotyl and softwood grafting in jack (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.)
    (Department of Horticulture (Pomology & Floriculture and Landscaping), College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Mini Jose; KAU; Valsalakumari, P K
    The ivestigation on epicotyl and softwood grafting methods in jack was carried out in the Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Trichur during the period from June 1987 to April 1989, The objective of the study was to standardise the season, age of rootstock and to find out the effect of intermittent mist on the percentage of success of both epicotyl and softwood grafts, and to study the anatomical changes at the different stages of graft union and factors leading to failure of grafts. The studies revealed that the month of June was most suitable for both epicotyl (83.3 per cent sprouting and 5 per cent survival) under Kerala conditions, eventhough percentage of success was low for softwood grafting.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of ornamental chillies and selection for dwarf clustered plant types
    (Department of Olericulture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1989) Mini, C; KAU; ; Peter, K V
    The present investigations on "Evaluation of ornamental chillies and selection for dwarf clustered plant types' were conducted at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Trichur during May-October, 1988 and October -April 1988-89. The experiment consisted of three parts A) Evaluation, catalouging and documentation of ornamental chillies and selection of dwarf clustered plant types B) Use of Capsicum chinense Jacq. and Capsicum chacoense Hunz. to develop ornamental chillies and C) Evaluation of interspecific F1s.