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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 Breeding × Author: KAU × Author: Sindhu, S × Start date: 1988 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Interspecific cross- compatibility in the genus Abelmoschus
    (Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1993) Sindhu, S; KAU; Manikantan Nair, P
    Interspecific cross – compatibility in the genus Abelmoschus was undertaken with the objective of probing into the reasons of low fruit and seed set in the interspecifc hybrids of Abelmoschus which may pave the way for the development of yellow vein mosaic resistant varieties through recombination breeding. Crossing was done between the local cultivar Abelmoschus esculentus var. Anacomban and two semi wild species (A. manihot and A. manihot ssp. Tetraphyllus). The fruit set in direct crosses of A. esculentus var. Anacomban x A. manihot and A. esculentus var. Anacomban x A. manihot ssp. Tetraphyllus was very low compared to the reciprocal crosses, exhibiting partial incompatibility consequent on the slow pollen tube growth of A. manihot and A. manihot ssp. tetraphyllus. The seed set was low in crossed fruits and there was recovery of shriveled seeds which may be attributed to the poor endosperm development. The crossed seeds exhibited good viability. All the hybrids exhibited field tolerance to yellow vein mosaic disease. The four hybrids recorded pollen sterility which may be attributed to meiotic abnormalities, due to difference in chromosome number between the species. The seed set in the hybrids was very low. The seed set was inversely proportional to pollen sterility. The lower the pollen sterility higher was the seed set. The F2 seeds showed reduction in seed weight which may be due to high seed sterility exhibited by the hybrids. The recovery of empty seeds which appeared normal may be ascribed to endosperm degeneration. The seed viability of F2 seeds was very low. The result leads to the conclusion that the reason for low fruit and seed set in interspecific hybridization in Abelmoschus may be due to partial incompatibility. The interspecific hybrids displayed hybrid sterility which may be attributed to the meiotic abnormalities consequent on the difference in the chromosome number between the parents. However, all the hybrids were not completely sterile. The hybrids exhibited field tolerance to yellow vein mosaic disease which is an added advantage. Back crossing the F1 as the seed parent to the A. esculentus var. Anacomban may overcome the hybrid sterility and pave way for the development of varieties with yellow vein mosaic resistance coupled with economic attributes of the popular cultivar Anacomban.