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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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19972
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Subject: Plant Breeding × End date: 1999 × Start date: 1996 × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardisation of in vitro techniques for rooting,hardening and micrografting in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1997) Bindu, M R; KAU; Mallika, V K
    Investigations on 'Standardisation of in vitro techniques for rooting, hardening and micrografting in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)' were carried out at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara utilising the existing facilities of the Plant Tissue Culture Lahoratory of the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices during the period from 1993-1996. Studies were conducted to identify the best rooting protocol and also to refine the technique of micrografting. The nodal segments taken from the field were pretreated with Bavistin (0. 1 %) for half an hour and then surface sterilized in chlorine water for four minutes. The explants were then cultured in the medium, WPM + 2ip 5 + AgNO3 5 + CCC 0.75 + AdSO4 + PG 200 mg l-1 and incubated at 28 + 2oC under 4000 lux light intensity for shoot bud release. For getting sufficient number of elongated shoots, subculturing was done in WPM supplemented with 0.5 % activated charcoal and 200 mg l-1 streptomycin sulphate. Observations of three different genotypes revealed that they responded differently to in vitro contidition and the genotype S 44.1 exhibited a very good growth. Rooting was very poor under In vitro condition and was completely absent under ex vitro condition. Among the different basal media for in vitro rooting, 1/2 MS supplemented with activated charcoal was the best. Maximum rooting was obtained when the shoots were pretreated in IBA 5000 mg l-1 for 3 seconds followed by culturing in the basal medium. Optimum concentration of sucrose for rooting was 3 per cent and that of agar was 0.6 per cent. For rooting, the cultures should be kept at a temperature of 28 + 20 C under dark condition. The genotypes differed in their response to rooting. Among the three genotypes - S 44.1, G VI 67 and G IV 4.1 tested, S 44.1 recorded better rooting. The rooted shoots should be potted in a medium containing a mixture of soilrite and potting mixture in equal proportion for establishment. The plantlets should be covered with polybags for 2-3 weeks and then exposed to ambient condi- tions periodically for hardening. Plantlet survival rate decreased up to the second month of planting out and after that it became static. In vitro micrografting and ex vito micrografting were possible in cocoa. The best rootstock for in vitro micrografting was axenic seedlings cultured in half MS liquid medium devoid of sucrose. These seedlings were ready for grafting in two weeks when raised under high light intensity (4000 lux) and high temperature (28 + 2°C). In vitro shoots from nodal segments were found to be a very good scion material for grafting. Among the different grafting techniqes, side grafting was the most ideal one. Success was the highest when scions with two or more hardened leaves were grafted 4 cm below the cotyledons in 4-5 weeks old axenic seedlings. Anatomical studies revealed that the graft union was complete in about a month. Grafted seedlings showed profuse growth after planting out. Ex vitro micrografting recorded lower percentage of success than in vitro micrografting. Older plants with a few hardened leaves were the most ideal root- stock and the scions should have at least one hardened leaf. Rapid and extensive scion elongation was observed in ex vitro micrografting. The most significant achievement of the present investigation was the standardisation of the technique of in vitro micrografting by which the rooting problem can be surmounted to a great extent.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Induction of genetic variability in kacholam(Kaempferia Galanga L.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1997) Kanakamany, M T; KAU; Namboodiri, K M N
    The present study "Induction of genetic variability in kacholam, Kaempferia galanga L." was undertaken in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 1992-95. Rhizomes of Kaempferia galanga cv. Vellanikkara local were treated with eight doses of gamma rays (2.5,5.0,7.5, 10.0, 12.5, 15.0, 17.5 and 20.0 Gy) and six concentrations of EMS (0.25,0.50,0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.50%) and MV1, MV2 and MV3 generations were evaluated. LD50 of gamma rays was 20.0 Gy and that of EMS 1.5 per cent. The highest values for yield and yield attributing characters were obtained for 7.5 Gy gamma rays and 0.75 per cent EMS. Gamma rays at 15.0 Gy and EMS at one per cent were most effective in inducing variability for rhizome yield and yield attributes. High estimates of heritability (broad sense) coupled with high genetic advance was observed for number of leaves and rhizome number and direct selection for improvement of these traits will be effective. Correlation coefficient between yield and its components indicated significant positive association of yield with number of leaves, tillers, leaf length, plant spread and rhizome number in the untreated control. Mutagenic treatments induced alterations in the association between rhizome yield and components. Path coefficient analysis of important yield attributes indicated that alterations in plant architecture for higher yield is possible with 7.5 Gy Gamma rays. Change in plant architecture so as to improve the yield is rather difficult in EMS. High frequency of positive variants at lower doses and high frequency of negative variants at higher doses were observed. Mutant characters present in MV 2 were not completely expressed in all MV3 plants. In vitro studies revealed that axillary bud explants have the potential to induce multiple shoots as well as roots in Murashige Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with boric acid and sucrose. Different pollination techniques failed to induce seed set in kacholam.