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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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2006 - 20102
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Subject: Plant Breeding × Author: Anandhi, K × End date: 2021 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic analysis of yield and leaf curl virus resistance in chilli (Capsicum spp.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2010) Anandhi, K; KAU; Abdul Khader, K M
    Pepper fruits (Capsicum spp.) are among the most consumed vegetables as fresh green or red and dried whole or ground forms in the world for its pungency. Leaf curl virus is an important biotic stress transmitted by the vector, Bemisia tabaci. Controlling the vector can be the only way to manage the disease and results in only partial control of disease. The incidence of disease is more in summer season and makes the cultivation uneconomical. There is an immediate need to develop leaf curl resistant varieties especially for summer cultivation. Hence the present investigation was undertaken at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2007-2009 with the objective of estimating the combining ability, heterosis and gene action involved in the inheritance of yield and leaf curl virus resistance. Five resistant C. frutescens accessions Mangalapuram Local, Thavanur Local, Kayamkulam Local, Mavelikkara Local and Nenmara Local were crossed in L x T pattern with three high yielding susceptible varieties Jwalamukhi, Jwalasakhi and Vellayani Athulya and 15 F1s were produced and evaluated along with the parents in randomized block design. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant genotypic difference for all the characters studied. The observations recorded were plant height (cm), number of branches, number of days to first flowering, plant spread (cm), duration of flowering (fruiting span), number of fruits per plant, fruit length (cm), fruit width (cm), pedicel - fruit ratio, fruit colour at intermediate stage, green fruit yield per plant (g), average fruit weight (g), number of seeds per fruit, hundred seed weight (g), duration of crop, vector population and virus disease scoring. Higher estimates of PCV and GCV were recorded for vulnerability index and green fruit yield per plant. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance were exhibited for days to first flowering, duration of flowering, number of fruits per plant, green fruit yield per plant, number of seeds per fruit, duration of crop and vulnerability index. Combining ability analysis showed that the line Mavelikkara Local and Nenmara Local were alone good general combiners for fruit yield along with leaf curl resistance. Four hybrids viz., Mavelikkara Local x Jwalasakhi, Nenmara Local x Vellayani Athulya, Kayamkulam Local x Jwalamukhi and Thavanur Local x Jwalamukhi exhibited significant sca effect for fruit yield. Considering per se performance, standard heterosis and sca effect two hybrids Mavelikkara Local x Jwalasakhi and Nenmara Local x Vellayani Athulya were found to be superior. Generation mean analysis was carried out using six-parameter model. Six generations viz. P1, P2, F1, F2, B1, B2 were built up among the crosses Mavelikkara Local x Jwalasakhi and Nenmara Local x Vellayani Athulya. Presence of additive, dominance and epistatic interaction for all the characters indicated that hybridization or recombination-breeding programme can be followed for future breeding.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic divergence in cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2006) Anandhi, K; KAU; Sunny K, Oomen
    The present study aimed at evaluating a collection of clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) genotypes for yield and related characters and grouping of genotypes was carried out at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the period 2003-2004. Twenty nine genotypes of clusterbean were evaluated for yield and yield related characters in randomized block design with three replications. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the varieties for all the characters studied which include days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, number of primary branches, number of pod clusters per plant, number of pods per cluster, pod weight, pod length, number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant and yield per plant. High values of PCV with correspondingly high values of GCV were observed in the present study for number of pod clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, number of pods per cluster and yield, which indicated the existence of high degree of genetic variation and ample scope for improvement of these characters through selection. High values of heritability coupled with high genetic advance was observed for number of pod clusters per plant, pods per plant, pod yield and number of pods per cluster suggesting additive gene action for these traits. There is immense scope for improvement of number of pod clusters per plant and number of pods per plant through selection on account of their high magnitude of heritability and exceptionally high genetic advance. Vegetable pod yield showed high positive genotypic correlation with the characters number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, pod weight and number of pod clusters per plant. Path coefficient analysis revealed number of pods per plant and pod weight are the characters with high direct effect. These two characters had got high indirect effect on yield through number of pod clusters per plant and number of seeds per plant respectively. Hence these characters can be identified as the major characters contributing towards pod yield and selection based on these characters would be effective for developing high yielding varieties of clusterbean genotypes. Based on Mahalanobis statistic, the 29 genotypes of clusterbean were grouped into four clusters. Cluster II was the largest with 10 genotypes. Intercluster distance was observed maximum between clusters I and IV while the close proximity was noticed between the clusters II and III. Cluster IV having the single variety Ct 11 exhibited the maximum mean value for yield per plant, number of pods per plant and number of clusters per plant indicating that this cluster is superior to the others with respect to these characters. Cluster II having Ct 7 was superior for pods per cluster, pod weight and days to 50 per cent flowering. On the basis of selection index the genotypes IC 10350 (Ct 11) and IC 8423 (Ct 7) recorded highest index value. Hybridization of the superior genotype Ct 11 of cluster IV with Ct 7 of cluster II having high pod weight would be beneficial for evolving high yielding genotypes.