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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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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Vegetative propagation of promising jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) types
    (Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Agriculture,Padannakkad, 2018) Ashok Madala, KAU; Rajagopalan, A
    The investigation on ‘Vegetative propagation of promising jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) types’ was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, Kasaragod during the period 2017 - 18 to evaluate the success of epicotyl and softwood grafting in promising types of jackfruit and to examine the variation among jackfruit types with respect to grafting methods. The experiment comprised of five promising types of jackfruits viz., V1 - Varikka - early bearing (KJ 186), V2 - Gumless (KJ 397), V3 - Seedless (KJ 180), V4 - Cluster (KJ 182) and V5 - Muttam varikka (KJ 231) and two method of grafting i.e., M1 - epicotyl grafting and M2 - softwood grafting. The experiment was laid out in factorial CRD with three replications. The different jackfruit types showed significant influence for all the parameters studied except number of branches. Type V2 resulted in earliest sprouting (26.50 days) and maximum sprouting percentage of grafts (41.91 per cent) while type V3 recorded maximum survival percentage (66.94 per cent) and shoot length (8.13 cm). Maximum shoot girth (1.50 cm), number of nodes (7.50), number of leaves (7), length of leaf (12.34 cm) and breadth of leaf (5.64 cm) were observed in type V4. On the other hand, the maximum days to sprouting (30.33 days), minimum sprouting percentage (28.77 per cent), minimum shoot length (6.43 cm) and minimum number of leaves (5.17) were recorded in type V5 while type V1 showed minimum survival percentage (38.89 per cent), shoot girth (1.15 cm), leaf length (8.41 cm) and breadth of leaf (4.22 cm). Among the methods of grafting, the results on percentage of sprouting and survival as well as number of branches were not significant while all other parameters showed significant effects. Epicotyl grafts resulted in early sprouting of buds (26.00 days) and maximum shoot length (7.36 cm) whereas maximum shoot girth (1.36 cm), number of nodes (6.13), number of leaves (6.33), length of leaf (11.16 cm) and breadth of leaf (5.29 cm) were observed in softwood grafts. The interaction of varieties and methods of grafting were significant in most of the characters recorded. Interaction V2 x M1 was found better in early sprouting (24.33 days) and V2 x M2 resulted in maximum sprouting percentage (46.90 per cent) while V3 x M1 gave maximum survival of grafts (86.67 per cent). Hence, for the mass multiplication of Seedless type epicotyl grafting could be adopted and for other types like early bearing varikka, Gumless and cluster, softwood grafting could be practiced.