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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: Integrated Biotechnology × Author: KAU × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2012 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Development and use of SSR markers for analysis of genetic diversity and correlation with lignin content in cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) Germplasm
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2014) Soumya, S Dharan; KAU; Sabu, K K
    The research work entitled “Development and use of SSR markers for analysis of genetic diversity and correlation with lignin content in cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) germplasm” was carried out at Biotechnology and Bioinformatics division of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode during 2013-14. India has rich genetic diversity of cardamom and this diversity might be the product of complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Understanding the footprints of divergence underlying the formation of various morphotypes/landraces is important for developing sustainable and high quality cardamom varieties. The study aims to analyse the natural variation inherent in the cardamom genome using microsatellite (simple sequence repeats, SSR) markers and test correlation with lignin content which is an important quantitative trait often attributed to pest tolerance characteristics. Lignin is a phenolic polymer which is required for mechanical support, water transport and defence in vascular plants. The insolubility and complexity of lignin polymer makes it resistant to degradation by most microorganisms. Therefore, lignin has a very vital role in plant defence and it may be hypothesized that cardamom plants with high lignin content exhibit improved pest resistance. Eighteen accessions including wild collections, landraces, and released varieties were selected for the present study. Twenty SSR primers were developed for cardamom and genetic diversity was analysed. Quantity of lignin was estimated and subjected to correlation analysis with genetic parameters. The lignin content has shown considerable level of variation among different accessions and the study clearly demonstrated existence of genetic diversity in various cardamom samples. The accessions were grouped into two, based on low and high lignin content. Statistical analysis revealed significant level of correlation between the lignin content and genetic diversity. Parameters such as observed homozygosity showed 70 and 67% correlation with low and high lignin groups. This correlation can be further elaborated to quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies for possible identification of alleles determining lignin content in cardamom and eventually help to breed elite cardamom lines with high lignin content.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Agrobacterium rhizogens mediated transformation of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L) Dunal
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2014) Pareeth, C M; KAU; Krishnan, T N
    The present study describes aseptic seed germination, establishment of shoot and normal root culture, Agrobacterium rhizogenes mediated transformation for hairy root culture, confirmation of transformation by PCR method and detection of rol A and rol B genes, phytochemcial assays of root cultures and roots derived from mature field grown plants for qualitative and quantitative analysis of total withanolide content, withaferin A and withanolide A of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. Half- strength MS medium with 0.5 mg/l GA3 were best to achieve maximum (93 %) seedlings rapidly. Multiple shoot culture was obtained by culturing the cotyledonary nodal explants in MS solid medium with 0.2 mg/l BAP and 0.05 mg/l IAA. Terminal shoot cuttings from shoot culture grown onto half- strength MS solid medium with 0.2 mg/l IBA were more efficient (98 % with 4-5 roots) in inducing healthy normal roots than both terminal and basal leaf segments. Hairy root culture was initiated by infecting cotyledons, hypocotyls leaf and internode explants with different wild type strains, A4, LBA 9402, and MTCC 532. The cotyledons infected with A. rhizogenes strain A4 induced hairy roots directly from the infected sites at a high frequency (90 %, 11.5 ± 0.2) than hypocotyl explants (12 %, 0.5 ± 0.05) which was best. The molecular evidence of rol A and rol C gene integration was confirmed by PCR amplification. Growth of the hairy root was measured by determining fresh weight and dry weight during time-course study in shake flask cultures. The maximum root biomass of hairy root culture (3.4 g) was noticed at 23rd day was more compared to normal root culture (2.6 g). Total withanolide content was more in transformed root culture (0.198 g) than normal root culture (0.103 g). The TLC analysis showed the compounds with same Rf values (0.36) and (0.59) as that of authentic samples of withaferin A and withanolide A respectively and it was confirmed again by Co-TLC. The HPLC analysis showed a more concentration of withaferin-A (22.3 mg/g dw) and withanolide A (2.35 mg/g dw) in hairy root culture than normal root culture (4.3 mg/g dw of withaferin-A and 1.65 mg/g dw of withanaloide-A).
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Cryopreservation of Vanda wightii Rchb.f protocorms
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2014) Achuth, J Sankar; KAU; William, Decruse
    Investigations on cryopreservation of protocorms of Vanda wightii Rchb.f an endangered orchid of Western Ghats was carried out to devise a protocol for long-term conservation of their germplasm. The commonly used techniques encapsulation- dehydration and vitrification methods were compared. Cryopreservation using encapsulation-dehydration gave maximum 36.1 per cent regeneration when one-step preculture was done in 0.5 M for 2 days and dehydrated for 4h. Optimum moisture content to get maximum recovery was 9.00 – 14%. Preculture in 0.5M sucrose for one day followed by 0.75M sucrose for one day did not improve regeneration of cryopreserved protocorms. Protocorms precultured in presence of 3 per cent DMSO did not recover after cryopreservation. Vitrification method tried as an alternative method gave 37.4 per cent regeneration when the protocorms were exposed to PVS2 for 2h prior to LN treatment. Exposure to PVS2 for more than 2h was detrimental to the protocorms so that Only 12.50 and 9.17 of the protocorms exposed for 3h and 4h period regenerated. Exposure to loading solution for 1h seems to give 34.95% regeneration after LN treatment suggesting that loading solution treatment alone is sufficient to cryoprotect the protocorms to get successful recovery after cryopreservation. Even though regeneration rates obtained through different methods are almost equal, consistent results and efficient direct plant regeneration make the vitrification method advantageous over encapsulation-dehydration method. Thus vitrification method is suggested as an efficient method for protocorm cryopreservation for germplasm conservation of V. wightii .
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Utilization of pineapple (Ananas comosus(L) Merr.) biomass for biofuel production
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2014) Anoop, P; KAU; Deepa, S Nair
    A study on utilization of pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) biomass for biofuel production was conducted at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram during the period of 2013-14. Rising concern over depleting fossil fuel and greenhouse gas resulted in a high level of interest in nonconventional fuel originating from biorenewable sources including sugars, starches and lignocellulosic materials. Lignocellulosic materials constitute a substantial renewable substrate for bioethanol production that do not compete with food production and animal feed. Pineapple waste is a promising feed stock for alcohol production due to its abundance and ease of availability. Also it is a cheap substrate for biofuel production due to low lignin content and can undergo hydrolysis steps more easily. The feed stocks were prepared by drying and grinding of pineapple peel, pineapple fruit waste and pineapple plant residue separately. This is a method of physical pretreatment used for degradation of lignocelluloses and for reduction of cellulose crystallinity. The study on moisture content of the feedstocks using gravimetric method showed that pineapple plant residue has higher moisture content followed by pineapple fruit waste and pineapple peel waste. The estimation of sugar content of different feed stocks revealed that, pineapple fruit waste have highest values of glucose, fructose, xylose and sucrose compared to the other feed stocks and this higher levels of sugar content resulted in higher ethanol production during fermentation. Total dissolved solids was found to be maximum in pineapple fruit waste. Similarly total carbohydrate was recorded maximum in pineapple fruit waste followed by pineapple peel waste and lowest value was observed in pineapple plant residue. Estimation of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin content of the feed stocks revealed that pineapple plant residue have maximum cellulose content followed by pineapple fruit waste and pineapple peel waste. Whereas pineapple peel waste recorded maximum hemicellulose content. Lignin content was found maximum in pineapple fruit waste. To obtain a highly efficient conversion, pre treatment was performed for three feed stocks with acid and alkali which reduce the lignin content and make the sugar molecules accessible for fermentation. Acid and alkali pretreatment of the pineapple feed stocks resulted an increase in total reducing sugar and total non reducing sugar concentrations. The increase in sugar concentration in pretreated feedstocks is due to the hydrolysis of cellulose and hemicellulose in to sugars. The acid and alkali pretreatment decreased the lignin content, but a higher percentage removal of lignin was observed with alkaline pretreated pineapple feed stocks. The biochemical characterisation of the feed stocks revealed the sugar content and fermentation potential. To find out the effect of pretreatment fermentation was carried out in untreated and pretreated feed stocks with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zymomonas mobilis. Fermentation of untreated feedstocks gave higher alcohol percent than pre-treated feed stocks inspite of the fact that pretreatments resulted in an increase in total reducing and non reducing sugars and a decrease in the lignin content . This may be due to the production of various inhibitors or due to high salt formation during pH adjustments of the pretreated feedstocks. The results of percent conversion rate of reducing sugar to alcohol indicated that pineapple fruit waste have higher conversion rate than other feed stocks where as the percent conversion of non reducing sugar is found to be maximum with pineapple peel waste. pH of the fermenting medium also tend to become acidic. Characterisation of feedstocks and alcohol yield after fermentation showed that pineapple fruit waste is the most amenable feedstock for alcohol production than other two. The alcohol yield (8.34 per cent) obtained with untreated fruit waste using S.cerevisiae was found to be significantly higher than all other combinations tried. For the enhancement of fermentation and subsequent alcohol yield, cellulolytic microorganism was isolated from degraded pineapple waste. It was identified as Bacillus sp. by biochemical and molecular characterisation. Three modes of enhancement of fermentation were performed with pineapple fruit waste; Single batch bioconversion, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) and separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and isolated native microorganism. Single batch bioconversion was found to be the best enhancement method yielding 11.09 per cent alcohol. The decreased level of ethanol in other enhancement methods may be due to the negative interaction of Bacillus sp. with Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The present study concluded that fruit waste is the best candidate for bioethanol production than other pineapple feed stocks tried. Single batch bioconversion using the cellulolytic organism, Bacillus sp. and fermenting organism, S. cerevisiae could bring about a substantial enhancement in alcohol yield.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Induction and establishment of transformed hairy root cultures of sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus L.) R. Br.
    (College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2014) Sudheep, Gopi; KAU; Krishnan, P N
    The study entitled Induction and establishment of transformed hairy root cultures of sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus L.) R. Br. was conducted at the Biotechnology and Bioinformatics division, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute during 2013-2014. The objective of the study was to induce and establish transformed hairy root cultures using wild strain(s) of Agrobacterium rhizogenes for determining the production of 2-hydroxy 4- methoxy benzaldehyde. Murashige and Skoog media (1962) was used for the experiments. Young shoots from the collected plants served as the explants for the initiation of cultures. The explants were surface sterilised using 0.1% HgCl2 at different intervals like 1- 5 minutes and standardised the time as 2 minutes since maximum percentage (86 %) of shoot bud initiation was obtained in explants sterilized for 2 minutes. The explants were inoculated into MS medium of full and half strengths with 3 %sucrose and agar (0.6% w/v) and augmented with various concentrations (1.0 - 2.5 mg/L) of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) alone or in combination with auxin (NAA/ IAA) and MS media devoid of hormones. The results showed that media containing only 2.0 mg/L BAP favoured maximum shoot bud initiation 2.52± 0.873 in a period of 3 weeks. The average length of shoots was ranging from 0.71 to 0.9 cm. Also young tender shoot tips showed maximum percentage of response (90%) with maximum number of shoot formation. For inducing multiple shoots MS media supplemented with different concentrations (0.25 1.5 mg/L) of BAP were used. Media containing 1.0 mg/L BAP was found to be the best for shoot multiplication with average number of shoots of 3.571 ± 0.272 of length 3.29cm length. The induction of hairy roots were done for the bioproduction studies. For the induction of hairy roots, various wild strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes namely A4, R1022, LBA 9402, 15834, K599, NCIM 5140 maintained in Yeast extract mannitol (YEM) media were used. Infection of pre-incubated shoots was performed by wounding the internodal portion with a sterile scalpel blade containing bacteria scraped off from isolated colonies on YEM agar medium. The hairy roots emerged at the site of infection in the 4th week. Only A4 strain was found to be successful in inducing hairy roots. The initiated hairy roots were transferred to Petri-dishes containing MS basal agar medium (1% w/v agar). Of these roots, those showing bacterial infection were transferred to MS basal agar media supplemented with antibiotic (500 mg/L Streptomycin). After the decontamination of hairy roots, the roots were established in solid as well as liquid MS media devoid of hormones. The measurement of growth parameters of hairy root cultures over a period of 30 days with an interval of 5 days were done. The mean weight of roots and growth index were determined after each harvest. Growth was then expressed as Fresh Growth Index. The root biomass reached maximum (14.10±0.045g) on 25th day. After 25th day there was no further biomass increase which indicated that the roots reached stationary phase of growth. The roots appeared to be brownish at the centre portion of roots. The initial growth index was 0.083and it increased to 6.051 during the next 25 days, but after that the growth index decreased. The extraction of the commercially significant secondary metabolite, 2-hydroxy -4-methoxy benzaldehyde was done. The extracts were then concentrated using Rotavapor under vacuum. The concentrated samples of the extracts were used for chromatographic analysis. Thin layer chromatography was done for the identification of the compound. Well resolved bands were obtained in petroleum ether: acetone 10:1 for samples identical to the band of authentic compound 2- hydroxyl- 4-methoxy benzaldehyde. The relative flow of the compound was obtained as 0.4. The presence of 2- hydroxyl- 4-methoxy benzaldehyde was confirmed by HPLC. The retention time was found to be 4 .1 for the authentic compound and a peak was obtained in the chromatogram of the sample at same retention time. Further scaling up studies needs to be done for the pharmaceutical purposes and commercial product development.