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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: Microbiology × Author: Balakrishnan, G × End date: 2017 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Plasmid profile of avian strains of Pasteurella multocida
    (Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1998) Balakrishnan, G; KAU; Mini, M
    Four isolates of P. multocida (DCl, DC2, FCl and FC2) from avian species (chicken and ducks) were subj ected to various typing methods like biotyping, antibiogram and plasmid profiling. The pathogenicity of the isolates was also ascertained in mice, rabbits chicken and ducks. By biotyping, the isolates were found to belong to two subspecies P. mul tocida subsp. mul tocida and P. mul t.oc i cie subsp. septica. All the isolates fermented xylose and none of them fermented dulcitol. Antibiogram of the isolates was carried out and they wer~ found to be resistant to furazolidone, metronidazole anC nalidixic acid. Some of the isolates are also resistant tc sulpha and trimethoprim. All the isolates were pathogenic to mice on rip injection. Duck isolates (DCl and DC2) were found to be pathogenic to rabbits killing them on fourth and fifth day respectively. The isolates DCl and DC2 were lethal to orally infected chicks within 48 h of administration and P. multocida could e reisolated from these birds. The same isolates killed the SiC injected ducks within 24 and 48 h. 11 The chicken isolates obtained from apparently healthy birds were non pathogenic to rabbits, chicks and ducks. Plasmid profiling revealed the presence of plasmids in three of the four isolates screened. One isolate was plasmid less and another isolate contained five plasmids. The molecular size of the plasmids ranged from 2.69 kb to 7.07 kb. One isolate did not contain plasmids at all. An isolate (FC2) which was not pathogenic to rabbits, chicks and ducks contained plasmids. Isolate FCl which was resistant to six antibiotics did not possess plasmids. Hence plasmids obtained in this study may not be associated with either antibiotic resistance or pathogenicity in experimental animals. A combination of two parameters such as plasmid profile and one of the typing methods, biotyping or antibiogram made it possible to differentiate the isolates. Thus, the plasmid profile analysis with anyone of the typing methods could be used as an epidemiological tool in the differentiation of P. multocida strains of avian origin.