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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: Pareeth, C M × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2010 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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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).