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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: KAU × End date: 2001 × Start date: 2001 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterization of genomic and plasmid DNA of Chlamydia psittaci isolates
    (Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2001) Sreeja, R Nair; KAU; Mini, M
    Four isolates of Chlamydia psittaci (M-28, M-430, M-121, P-156) obtained from ruminant abortion were subjected to restriction enzyme analysis and plasmid profiling to assess molecular level differences/homogenity among the isolates. The changes produced in developing chick embryo and the cytopathic effect in Me Coy cell line by the isolates were also investigated in this study. The C. psittaci isolates preserved in the Department of Microbiology were revived by passaging in embryonated chicken eggs through yolk sac route. Six to seven day-old developing chick embryo were used for propagation of the isolates. The isolates, M-28 and M-430 were found to produce death of the embryos within 10 days. The isolates M-121 and P-156 were not able to cause death within 10 days. The embryos appeared stunted with patchy haemorrhages all over the body and hyperemic legs. The yolk sac was thin walled, with deeply injected blood vessels and the yolk was thin and watery. M-28 and M-430 produced more severe lesions of the inoculated embryos compared with the other isolates. The isolates were grown in Me Coy cell line. All isolates revealed marked CPE, characteristic of C. psittaci, with rounding and clumping of cells to form syncytia at 48 h PI and formation of intra cytoplasmic inclusion bodies by 96 h PI. The isolates M-121 and P-156 took more time for the production of CPE compared with that of M-28 and M-430. The isolates were confirmed as C. psittaci by fluorescence antibody technique which revealed, apple green fluorescing chlamydial inclusions in the infected cell line by 96 h PI. The CE as well as cell line propagated isolates were used as a source of elementary bodies for DNA extraction. The purified EBs were prepared by urografin density gradient centrifugation. After obtaining sufficient amount of EBs, it was subjected to DNA extraction. The isolates M-28, M-430, M-121 and P-156 had DNA concentrations of 1710 ug/ml, 1130 Jlgl Iml, 1545 ug/ml and 1475 ug/ml respectively. Restriction enzyme digestion of all the isolates were done separately with Eeo RI, Hae III and Barn HI. Eeo RI cleaved DNA of the isolates M-430 and P-156 into rune fragments, M-28 into eight and M-121 into ten fragments respectively. The molecular size of bands for all isolates had variation in heavier fragments. Common bands were observed at five regions for all isolates. Hae III cleaved the caprine isolates into eight fragments and the bovine isolate M-121 into seven and P-156 into nine fragments. Variation could be observed on the molecular size of the fragments. Bam HI digested all isolates except M-121 into eight fragments. For M-121, seven fragments were obtained. Common bands were noticed at 0.2 and 0.7 kbp region. All enzymes were found to be useful in the differentiation of C. psittaci isolates as these REs produced variation as well as similarity in the restriction fragment sizes. Plasmid profiling revealed the absence of plasmids ill all the four isolates screened. Thus, a combination of phenotypic and genotypic methods could be used as epidemiological tools in the differentiation of C. psittaci strains of mammalian origin.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nucleic acid and protein profile of Pasteurella multocida of avian origin
    (Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2001) Rajalakshmi Radabai, S; KAU; Krishnan Nair, G
    Four avian field isolates (one from quail and three from ducks) suggestive of Pasteurella sp. were compared with the avian Pasteurella multocida reference strain (LKO) for their biochemical properties, drug resistance patterns, whole cell and outer membrane protein profiles and restriction enzyme digestion pattern of chromosomal DNA. Biochemical characterisation revealed two biotypes among the four field isolates; namely P. multocida subsp. septica (quail isolate) and P. multocida subsp. multocida (duck isolates). The study of antibiogram using 14 chemotherapeutic agents revealed the presence of multiple drug resistance in all the four field isolates and reference strain. Whole cell protein profiles of the four field isolates and reference strain revealed 7 to 11 bands of molecular weights ranging from 197.4 kDa to 2.5 kDa. Polypeptide bands in the molecular weight range of 36 to 38 kDa (which were attributable to the protein-H), 29 to 32 kDa and 10 to 11 kDa were common to all the isolates of P. multocida. The major outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in the molecular weight range of 32 to 33 kDa and 27 kDa region were common to all the four field isolates and reference strain. II Unique protein bands in each of the isolate were indicative of variant forms of the same organism. Restriction enzyme analysis of chromosomal DNA yielded different restriction fragments in each of the isolates which were not easily distinguishable. Hence, of the tests used, phenotypic characters, biotype, antibiogram and protein profile were found to be more effective in differentiating the isolates rather than restriction enzyme digestion patterns of genomic DNA.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Isolation and characterization of Chlamydia psittaci with emphasis on protein profile
    (Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2001) Binu, K Mani; KAU; Mini, M
    For isolation of Chlamydia psittaci 46 clinical cases associated with abortions in livestock from livestock farms and Veterinary hospitals in and around Thrissur were screened. Impression smear staining of the clinical materials USin9 Giemsa, Modified Ziehl Neelsen and Gimenez revealed two positive cases. Both were from aborted foetuses, one from bovine (M-121) and the other from caprine (M-430). Chick embryo inoculation by YS route was used for isolation of the organism. The organisms could be isolated only from the two cases positive by preliminary screening, as confirmed by staining of YS impression smears. The mortality rate in CE was more in case of M-430 compared to the other two isolates (M-121 and reference isolate, P-156). All the three isolates produced patchy haemorrhagic lesions in YS and skin of embryoS. An overall isolation percentage of 4.3 was obtained in this study. All the three isolates were resistant to sodium sulphadiazine. Pathogenicity studies indicated that, all the three isolates were of moderate virulence for mice and guinea pigs. Based on AGPT, the local isolates were confirmed as Chlamydia psittaci. All the three isolates caused rounding and swelling of fibroblast cells and syncytia formation at 24h PI in Mc Coy cell line. By 48 to 72 h PI, these effects became more prominent with detachment of cells from adjacent cells and from the glass surface. Purified EBs were prepared from infected Mc Coy cell line by Urografin gradient centrifugation. After confirming the presence of sufficient amount of protein by Biuret method, they were used for SDS-PAGE. A total of 12 polypeptide bands were obtained for both the bovine isolates while the caprine isolate gave 10 bands. Molecular weights of 148 kDa and 135 kDa were present only in P-156 and 152 kDa and 137 kDa were unique for M-121. Bands at 152 kDa, 148 kDa, 137 kDa, 135 kDa, 32 kDa, 18 kDa, 15 kDa and 7 kDa were lacking in M-430. This isolate was having unique bands of 155 kDa, 19 kDa, 12.2 kDa and 6.4 kDa.