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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: Plant Biotechnology × Author: Jusna Mariya, P L × Author: KAU × End date: 2019 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Gene expression analysis in relation to Fusarium wilt resistance in banana (Musa spp.)
    (Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2013) Jusna Mariya, P L; KAU; Keshavachandran, R
    Banana is one of the important fruit crops of India. Banana is susceptible to several fungal pathogens, nematodes, viruses and insect pests. The greatest threats to global banana production is Fusarium wilt or Panama wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. Control of the pathogen is difficult and mainly involves the use of disease free suckers. Although disease resistance exists in some banana cultivars, introducing resistance into commercial cultivars by conventional breeding is difficult due to its triploid nature and sterility factors of banana. The study entitled "Gene expression analysis in relation to Fusarium wilt resistance in banana (Musa spp.)" was carried out at the Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Vellanikkara during the period 2009-2013 with an objective to identify differentially expressed genes in disease resistant genotype of banana, Palayankodan using the molecular technique called suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). Total RNA and mRNA were isolated from healthy and inoculated plants (with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense) and were used respectively as 'driver' and 'tester' in SSH reaction. The reactions were performed utilizing the PCR select" cDNA subtraction kit provided by CLONTECH, USA. Control subtraction was carried out first using PCR select" cDNA subtraction kit, which gave satisfactory and expected results. For experimental subtraction, the double stranded cDNAs synthesized from Zug mRNA from normal 'driver' and treated 'tester' were digested with RsaI enzyme. Two tester populations were created and each ligated to two different adaptors. This was followed by two hybridization reactions and finally a selective PCR amplification. Only differentially expressed cDNAs were amplified exponentially. This was confirmed by analyzing the PCR products on agarose gel, which showed a smear ranging from 0.9 to 1.3 kb in the subtracted sample and was different from smear pattern of unsubtracted ones. The cDNA fragments from subtracted sample were cloned in pJET and pGEMT vectors and sequenced. Fifty clones were sequenced and analysed after vector and adaptor editing. In silica analysis using bioinformatics tools revealed that some of the cloned sequences showed similarity with known sequences which play important roles during disease resistance conditions directly or indirectly. These included resistance gene candidate NBS type protein, mitogen activated protein kinase, phytoene desaturase, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, neutral invertase, 1- aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylase synthase, superoxide dismutase, MADS-box protein, ubiquitin 2, actin, NADPH oxidase, phytoene synthase, ACC synthase, sucrose phosphate synthase, phosphatidic acid phosphatase-like protein, ORF III like polyprotein, bHLH transcription factor like protein, cytochrome oxidase, isochorismatase hydrolase, basic helix-loop-helix family protein, constitutive triple response I-like protein, granule bound starch synthase, alpha amylase precursor, rop protein, GTPase family protein, S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthase protein, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase glucose-l-phosphate adenylyl trans, ethylene signal transduction factor and ribosomal protein. Clones were classified into 6 major groups based on function of protein. Sequences had conserved domains for the above mentioned proteins. Genes involved in defense, signal transduction, metabolism, hypothetical protein, transcription factor and translation. For further exploitation of these sequences it is necessary to clone full length cDNA. ESTs thus generated in the present study will be of great use in future for further downstream applications.