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.

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Open Access
Microbial agents associated with eye infection in chicken
(Department of microbiology, College of veterinary and animal sciences, Mannuthy, 2003) Jaison, George; KAU; Jayaprakasan, V
A study was undertaken to find out the microbial agents associated with the recently reported eye infection of chickens in many parts of Kerala. Samples were collected from 83 birds from different parts of Kerala. The bio-materials employed for the study were the conjunctival swabs and air sac materials. Organisms isolated from different stages of infection include 45 isolates of E. coli, 28 isolates of S. aureus, 11 isolates of B. coagulans, , eight isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, two isolates of S. epidermidis, ten isolates of Alloscheria sp., five isolates of Penicillin sp. and three isolates of Scopulariopsis sp. and three isolates of M gallisepticum. On an average, the rate of isolation of microbial agents per sample at the beginning, mid and advanced stage of infection were 0.5, 1.3 and 2.8 respectively, showing that the number and type of organism isolated increased as the disease advanced except in the case of MG which was isolated only from the beginning stage of infection. No viral agents or e . chlamydia could be isolated through embryonated egg inoculation. The findings of the present study suggest that MG could be the primary agent leading to conjunctivitis while other eubacterial and fungal isolates could be secondary invaders complicating the condition. The antibiogram of the eubacterial isolates suggest that proper treatment with antibiotics like ciproflaxacin/gentamycin at the beginning stage of infection could prevent secondary invaders from complicating the condition.
Open Access
Detection of Pasteurella multocida in domestic ruminants by isolation and polymerase chain reaction
(Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2004) Sunitha Karunakaran; KAU; Krishnannair, G
A study was undertaken to examine the occurrence of P. multocida organisms causing HS in apparently healthy and clinically ill domestic ruminants in a specified area of Thrissur district viz., Ollukkara block, covering one per cent of total ruminant population in the area. Besides the samples collected from Ollukkara block area, those brought to the Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy from suspected cases of HS, were also included in the study. A total of 309 samples comprising of nasal swabs, pharyngeal swabs, lung samples and blood samples were processed for isolation of P. multocida and detection by PCR. Detection of P. multocida by PCR was carried out using species-specific (PM-PCR), type-B specific (HS-B PCR) and nested primers. Pasteurella multocida could not be isolated from any of the clinical samples cultured for isolation from Ollukkara block area. Five isolates could be obtained from the blood samples from Palakkad district. Isolates obtained were characterized as P. multocida using standard bacteriological procedures. A reference strain P52 obtained from IVRI was used for comparison. All the isolates were found to be pathogenic for mice. Based on the fermentation patterns of dulcitol, sorbitol, trehalose and xylose all isolates as well as P52 could be biotyped as P. multocida subsp. multocida. All isolates were uniformly sensitive to ten out of twelve antibiotics tested and uniformly resistant to metronidazole. All isolates were confirmed as type-B P. multocida using species-specific primer pairs, KMT1SP6 and KMT1T7 and HS-B specific primer pairs, KTSP61 and KTT72. Multiplex PCR was used to characterize all the serotype B isolates, which generated two bands of size 460 bp and 590 bp. Only 14 clinical samples including the isolates were positive for P. multocida by PM-PCR. The entire samples tested positive by PM-PCR were confirmed as type-B P. multocida by HS-B specific PCR. The 14 samples found positive by PM-PCR when subjected to nested PCR, gave an amplified product of size 214 bp. Since nested PCR could detect Pasteurella multocida DNA in a high proportion of clinical samples found previously negative by PM-PCR, a definite conclusion could not be arrived about the feasibility of using this PCR assay for enhanced detection of P. multocida as only a random number of negative clinical samples could be screened. All the isolates showed a single REP-PCR profile, indicating a high level of homogeneity among them. Among the five isolates examined, only two (BP2 and BuP1) harboured plasmids. The sequence similarity searches of HS-B PCR amplified product with BLAST network showed that the sequence had 99 per cent identity with Pasteurella multocida unknown protein 1 and protein 2 gene (Accession No AF016260).
Open Access
Prevalence of leptospirosis in animals in and around Thrissur
(Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2004) Manju Soman; KAU; Jayaprakasan, V
A study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of leptospirosis in animals and man, in and around Thrissur. A total of 501 sera samples, collected from dogs, cattle, pigs, rodents (bandicoots and rats) and human beings were subjected to serologic testing, for detection of Leptospira specific antibodies, by MAT, PHA and indirect IgG ELISA. Isolation of Leptospira was tried from blood of clinically suspected cases of human and canine leptospirosis and from kidney tissues of rodents. The study revealed the presence of antibodies against Leptospira in human beings and all the four species of animals examined by the three tests employed. The prevalence rates detected by MAT in canines, bovines, porcines, murines and human beings were 36.36 per cent, 47 per cent, 23.8 per cent, 21.42 per cent and 54.54 per cent respectively. Out of 30 human blood samples subjected to isolation trials in Fletcher'slEMJH semisolid media with enrichment, Leptospira could be isolated from a single human patient, in Fletcher's semisolid medium with 10 per cent rabbit serum. Of the 35 rodent kidney tissues tried for isolation in Fletcher's semi solid media, leptospires were isolated from three bandicoots and two rats. Indirect ELISA was found to be most sensitive, of the three tests,for rapid screening of the population for leptospirosis, while PHA was found to be a fairly good test for diagnosis of acute leptospirosis. The MAT proved to be the most specific test which could also identify the serogroup identity of the infecting Leptospira. Leptospira pomona and L. australis were detected by MAT as the common serogroups prevalent in man, animals and rodents in this area. The prevalence of common leptospiral serovars in animals and man, indicated that human beings which were the end hosts for Leptospira could have acquired the infection mostly from animals like dogs, cattle and pigs, while the isolation ofleptospires from rodents revealed the carrier status of these animals.
Open Access
Seroprevalence of BlueTongue in Sheep and Goats in Kerala
(Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2003) Chintu Ravishankar; KAU; Krishnan Nair, G
A study was conducted to assess the seroprevalence of BT in sheep and goats in Kerala, employing AGID, T-ELISA and dot-ELTSA tests. A total of 1010 samples collected from all the 14 districts of the State were screened for the presence of group specific antibodies to BTV. Seropositive samples were obtained from 12 out of the 14 districts. Both sheep and goats were found to harbour antibodies to BTY. Based on the results of the 1- ELISA test, the highest prevalence was observed in Thrissur district (21.10 per cent) and the lowest in Ernakulam district (1.25 per cent). Higher prevalence rates were observed in organized farms. The overall prevalence of the disease in the state was found to be 7.82 per cent. Of the tests employed, AGID test was found to be the least sensitive: The maximum number of positive samples were detected by I-ELISA. To check the validity of the I-ELISA results C-I~:LISA was done and there was good correlation between the results of the two tests as only four samples were detected as false positive in the C-ELISA. Dot-ELISA was found to be a simple, quick and specific test with detection levels comparable to T-ELlSA and could be used in the field conditions. Screening of the cattle population also should be done to get a better picture of the disease in the State as they comprise the largest reservoir of BTV in nature.
Open Access
Molecular characterization of Pasteurella multocida isolates from ducks in Kerala
(Kerala Agricultural University;Thrissur, 2004) Antony, P.X.; KAU; Krishnan Nair, G

Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

Browse

Thesis Type

Type

Author

Date

Subject

Search Results