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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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2004 - 20056
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Subject: Plant Breeding × End date: 2005 × Start date: 2004 × Type: Thesis ×
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Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Interspecific Hybridisation in Sorghum
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2005) Jithesh, V G; KAU; Suma Bai, D I
    A study on ‘Interspecific hybridization in Sorghum’ was carried out in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2003-2004 with the objective of developing sorghum-sudan grass hybrids with high fodder yield potential and better quality. Five superior accessions of sorghum viz., GD 65174-1,GD65174-2, GD 65195, GD 65239 and Acc. No. 846 (lines) with high yield potential and better palatability and three accessions of sudan grass viz., Jhansi local, SSG-59-3 and IS-720 (testers) with high tillering ability were crossed in a Line x Tester mating design to obtain 15 hybrid combinations. The lines, testers and their hybrids were evaluated along with a check COFS-29 in a replicated field trial for mean performance, combining ability and heterosis. Observations on plant height, tiller number per plant, stem girth, internodal length, leaf/stem ratio, leaf number per plant, leaf weight per plant, days to 50 per cent flowering, green fodder yield, dry fodder yield, crude protein content, crude fibre content and HCN content were recorded. Significant differences among treatments were observed for all characters. Significant differences among crosses were observed for all characters except tiller number per plant. General and specific combining ability variances and effects were studied. The magnitude of SCA variance alone was significant suggesting the predominance of dominance gene action in controlling these traits. Based on mean performance and gca effects, Acc. No. 846 was identified as the best general combiner among lines and SSG-59-3 among testers. The crosses, GD 65195 x IS-720 and Acc. No. 846 x SSG-59-3 were found to be promising for green fodder yield and its component traits based on mean performance, sca effects and standard heterosis. Hence these crosses can be advanced for further trials for developing superior sorghum-sudan grass hybrid varieties.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    In vitro mutagenesis in rice (oryza sativa L.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2005) Ambika Rajendran, R; Dijee Bastian
    An investigation entitled “In vitro mutagenesis in rice (Oryza sativa L.)” was undertaken at the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara for estimating LD50 values and optimum doses for gamma rays and EMS and identifying desirable plants. Mature, dehulled seeds of variety Ptb-26 were raised in MS medium with different combinations of 2,4-D and Kn. Callus induction studies revealed that MS + 2,4-D 2.0 mgl-1 + Kn 0.5 mgl-1 was the best to induce callus in rice. The same media was used for callus proliferation. Three weeks old subcultured calli was transferred to regeneration MS + NAA 2 mgl-1 + Kn 4 mgl-1 + BAP 0.5 mgl-1 and the shoots obtained were transferred to the rooting medium MS + NAA 2mgl-1 + Kn 0.5 mgl-1. The percentage of success of hardening obtained was 85.20%. Different doses (10Gy, 20Gy, 30Gy, 40Gy, 50Gy and 60Gy) of gamma rays were given to three weeks old subcultured calli and the LD50 value was fixed based on the regeneration percentage. 30Gy was fixed as the LD50 value. Six concentrations of EMS (2mM, 4mM, 6mM, 8mM, 10mM and 12mM) were tried to ascertain the LD50 value based on the regeneration percentage. 4mM was the LD50 value obtained for EMS. Two optimum doses each for the two mutagens below the LD50 value was given to obtain the desirable plants. Ten tissue culture plants for 10Gy, nine for 20Gy, nine for 2mM and eight for 4mM were obtained from this study. They were analysed for biometrical and morphological characters. Based on which the best optimum doses obtained were 20Gy and 4mM for the two mutagens respectively. Significant effect of treatments of gamma rays and concentrations of EMS on genotype was noticed for culm length, plant height, panicles plant-1, panicle length, grains panicle-1and grain yield plant-1. Significant differences were noticed for leaf blade pubescence, leaf blade colour, basal leaf sheath colour and lemma and palea colour. Six tissue culture variants were identified as desirable based on higher panicles plant-1, panicle length, grains panicle-1 and grain yield plant-1.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetic improvement of F1 hybrids in anthurium andreanum linden
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2004) Pravin, R S; KAU; Mayadevi, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Agriculture
    The present study, ‘Genetic improvement of F1 hybrids in Anthurium andreanum Linden’ was undertaken to improve specific commercial characters such as erect, long inflorescence axis, deep blisters of spathe and short downward candles of ten selected F1 hybrids in anthurium. The analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the fourteen genotypes for the seventeen characters studied. This reveals the high genetic potential for the improvement in this crop. Variability studies indicated high phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation for the characters number of suckers per plant, pollen fertility and duration of male phase. The characters with high heritability coupled with high genetic advance values were found for characters number of suckers per plant, pollen fertility and pollen size. These characters are therefore controlled by additive gene action and amenable to genetic improvement through selection. Plant height was found to have highly significant positive phenotypic correlation with number of suckers per plant, leaf size, internode length, number of spadices per plant and pollen fertility. Duration of female phase showed positive genotypic correlation with all characters except days to initiation of female phase. The environmental correlations were absent for almost all pairs of characters except for a few characters . Pollen fertility estimated using acetocarmine method indicated that most of the genotypes had low fertility values. ‘PR x FR (1)’ had the highest pollen fertility of 41.67 per cent followed by ‘Liver Red’ (40.67 per cent). Pollen emergence was low in the months from March to June, during which the average maximum and minimum temperatures were relatively high. Pollen emergence was highest during October to December months. A study of five qualitative characters such as colour of young leaf and petiole spathe colour, spathe texture, candle colour and type of inflorescence axis also showed considerable variation among the genotypes studied. Intervarietal hybridization was done to analyse the cross compatibility between 14 varieties (Ten female parents and four commercially important varieties as male parents) based on the percentage of candles bearing fruits, fruit set and seed germination. A total of 23 crosses were attempted based on the availability of receptive spadices and fresh pollen, out of which 12 were found to be successful. Among the 12 successful crosses percentage of candles bearing fruits was 100 per cent for six crosses. Maximum number of 113 fruits was obtained for the cross (‘LR x PR’) x OG followed by [‘FR x MW (1)’] x LR with 88 fruits. The average number of fruits per candles was highest for ‘LR x PR’ and lowest for ‘PR x FR (1)’. The percentage of fruit set was below 50 per cent for all the crosses. The lowest and highest percentage of fruit set was observed for ‘PR x FR (1)’ and ‘LR x PR’ respectively. From the cross compatibility analysis, it was seen that the percentage of fruit bearing candles was highest for the female parents ‘PR x KR’ and ‘PR x MO’ with two crosses each and ‘OG x DT’ with a single cross (100 per cent). The number of fruit per candle ranged from 23 to 113. ‘LR x PR’ had the highest average number of fruits per candle and it was lowest for ‘PR x FR (1)’. The percentage of fruit set was below 50 per cent for all the crosses. The crosses involving ‘LR x PR’ had the highest average percentage of fruit set. The number of days taken for germination varied from four to nine days. The seed germination was highest for the cross (‘PR x FR(1)’) x LR (85.13 per cent). No cross showed 100 per cent survival beyond four to six months. For ‘OG x DT’ with only a single cross the survival percentage was maximum of 90 per cent. Scoring of the compatibility reactions based on the percentage of fruiting candles, fruit set and seed germination on a scale ranging from zero to nine showed the highest compatibility score of eight for the crosses (‘PR x KR’) x AW, (‘LR x PR’) x OG, (‘PR x MO’) x LR and (‘PR x MO’) x AW. Among the ten female parents ‘PR x MO’, ‘LR x PR’ and ‘PR x KR’ performed as the best female parents and among the four male parents ‘Liver Red’ performed as the best pollen parent.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genotype x environment interaction in commercial rice (Oryza sativa L.,) hybrids
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2004) Somanagoudra S, Chandrashekhar; KAU; Elsy, C R
    The present study on “Genotype x Environment interaction in commercial rice (Oryza sativa L.) hybrids” was carried out under the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara. Seven commercial rice hybrids and two check varieties were evaluated for eighteen characters across three farming situations of central zone of Kerala during kharif, 2003. In the experiment, variability, heritability and genetic advance, path coefficients, stability, standard heterosis and inbreeding depression were estimated. Mean performance of hybrids across the locations revealed that, in general hybrids performed better than check varieties with respect to yield and yield attributing characters like grain yield ha-1, straw yield ha-1, number of grains panicle-1, productivity day-1 and productivity plant-1. With regard to grain quality parameters such as 1000 grain weight, milling percentage and head rice recovery, check varieties showed superior performance over hybrids. High variability and heritability was noticed for most of the yield characters. High genetic advance coupled with high heritability were observed for plant height, grain yield ha-1, straw yield ha-1, number of grains panicle-1 and 1000-grain weight. The traits such as days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, straw yield ha-1, harvest index, number of days to physiological maturity, productivity day-1 and volume expansion ratio can be used for direct selection for yield improvement since they had exhibited significant positive correlation with grain yield. Stability analysis revealed that the hybrid KRH-2, which had recorded highest mean value and regression coefficient less than unity, performed well even under poor management conditions. Therefore KRH-2 can be recommended for general cultivation in central zone of Kerala. For better management conditions, NSD-2 that had responded well to good management, can be recommended. Heterosis studies revealed the presence of significant amount of standard heterosis in most of the hybrids for yield and yield attributing traits. Significant inbreeding depression was also observed for yield and yield attributing characters.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Convergent breeding for new plant type in rice(Oryza sativa L.)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2005) Divya Satheesh; KAU; Rosamma, C A
    The present study on “Convergent breeding for new plant type in rice (Oryza sativa L.) was carried out under the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara. This study was carried out for 23 characters in six lines and four testers, and their hybrids developed through a line x tester mating design and was aimed at identification of donor parents for the development of new plant type, and evaluation of the nature of gene action involved in the expression of quantitative traits. In the experiment combining ability, heterosis, character association and gene action involved were estimated. The analysis of variance was significant for almost all the traits under study. Combining ability analysis revealed constantly higher magnitude of SCA variance compared to GCA variance suggesting the preponderance of non additive gene action. Based on mean performance and gca effects Mattatriveni, Kanchana, Jyothi, Gouri ,Swarnaprabha, Mahsuri and Ponmani were identified as best parents which can be utilized in the crossing programme for the development of rice varieties having high yield potential. Among the hybrids Mattatriveni x Ponmani and Mattatriveni x Mahsuri were identified as superior cross combinations based on mean performance, sca effects and standard heterosis and they can be exploited in the creation of new plant type. Characters viz., panicle weight, panicle length, grains per panicle, plant height, 1000 grain weight, total dry matter, grain density and root length which showed significant positive correlation also recorded positive direct effect on grain yield revealing improvement of these characters can directly increase grain yield. Varieties which can be used as donor parents for these characters were identified. Since combination of desirable characters cannot be achieved through one generation of breeding further evaluation and back crossing with specific donor parents is suggested as future line of work.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Genetics of trailing habit in yard long bean(Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis(L) Verdcourt)
    (Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2004) Anisha George; KAU; Mareen Abraham
    A study has been undertaken in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, to investigate the ‘Genetics of trailing habit in yard long bean (Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdcourt)’ and to identify the potential parents and superior cross combinations of trailing and bush types cowpea during 2002-04. Two trailing varieties and three bush varieties were used for study. The study revealed that pod yield, length of pod, number of pods per plant, days for first flowering and first harvesting were mainly influenced by allelic contribution where as duration of crop and pod yield can be used as selection parameters of crop improvement. Pod yield can be increased by selecting the genotypes having shorter days for first flowering and harvesting, increased number of pods per plant, lower number of seeds per pod, lower number of branches and higher number of pods. Trailing type, Lola has higher breeding value compared to Vyjayanthi and TC-99-1 and can be exploited for heterotic vigour for many of the yield attributes. The segregants can be used for fixing characters of both bush type coupled with trailing traits. Segregants of Lola x Pusa Komal can give higher pod yield and the yield attributes can be easily fixed in the segregating generations due to its low inbreeding depression. Trailing and bush characters showed a 3:1 monohybrid ratio and stem pigmentation (purplish: green) showed a dihybrid ratio of 9:7 in the F2 segregants of different combinations. Flower colour (purple: white) and pod colour (purple: green) showed a monogenic segregation ratio of 3:1 where as seed coat colour showed dominant epistatic gene action (12:3:1) in various crosses. Segregants can be further screened for higher pod yield coupled with tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, which is indicated as future line of work.