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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 Pathology × Author: Agnes Jose × Author: KAU × End date: 2019 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of biochemical and anti-cancerous activities of mushrooms
    (Department of Plant Pathologoy, College of Agriculture vellayani, 2018) Agnes Jose; KAU; Geetha, D
    The present study on "evaluation of biochemical and anti-cancerous activities of mushrooms" was conducted during 2016-2018 with the objective to undertake the cultural, spawn production and cultivation trials of five mushrooms namely, Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst., Pleurotus florida (Mont.), Pleurotus djamor (Fr.) Boedjn, Hypsizygus ulmarius (Bull.:Fr.) Redhead and Calocybe gambosa (Fr.) Singh and to evaluate their biochemical and anti-cancerous activities. The cultures of these mushrooms were isolated from the mushroom beds maintained in the mushroom unit of Instructional Farm, Vellayani through tissue culture method and purified by hyphal tip method. Studies on mycelial growth of five mushrooms on potato dextrose agar revealed that G. lucidum had the maximum radial growth (9.00 cm) in shorter period of time (6.25 days). The nature of mycelial growth of G. lucidum and P. florida was flat and filamentous, while that of P. djamor, H. ulmarius and C. gambosa was thick and fluffy. The colour of mycelium of all the mushrooms was white to creamy white. Spawn production trials of five mushrooms on paddy grain indicated the minimum time for spawn run of 12.25 days for P. djamor followed by H. ulmarius and P. florida. Cultivation trials of P.djamor, P. florida, H. ulmarius and C. gambosa were undertaken on paddy straw substrate while that of G. lucidum was done on rubber wood sawdust. P. djamor recorded minimum time for spawn run (10.50 days), pinhead formation (14.50 days) and first harvest (16.50 days). The milky mushroom, C. gambosa recorded the maximum yield of 1037.25 g kg-1 from three harvests with 103.72 per cent biological efficiency (BE) followed by H. ulmarius with yield of 960 g kg-1 and BE of 96 %. Infestation of pests viz. phorid flies and staphylinid beetles as well as fungal contaminants such as Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., and Coprinus spp. were found in all the mushrooms during sporocarp formation. Dried and powdered samples of mushrooms were used for nutritional analyses. G. lucidum recorded maximum protein (30.91 %) and fibre content (49.33 %), whereas C. gambosa recorded maximum carbohydrate, total amino acids, ash and fat content. The present study indicated the high nutritive value of milky mushroom C. gambosa Mineral components like sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium were determined in the study. Among the five mushrooms C. gambosa recorded the maximum potassium while calcium and magnesium were the maximum in G. lucidum. The phosphorus content was not found to be significantly different among the five mushrooms. Analysis of medicinal components of mushrooms indicated that mushrooms were rich in beta-glucan, polyphenols, flavonoids and terpenoid. G. lucidum, the king of medicinal mushrooms recorded maximum beta-glucan (38.58 %) and polyphenols (23.80 mg GAE g-1) followed by C. gambosa. Flavonoid and terpenoid contents were recorded maximum in C. gambosa followed by G. lucidum. The pink oyster mushroom, P. djamor recorded the maximum beta- carotene content (355μg g-1). Preliminary trials on the anti-cancer activities of mushroom extracts were conducted by direct microscopic studies and MTT assay. The results revealed that percentage viability of cervical cancer cell lines decreased with increase in concentration of mushroom extracts. However G. lucidum extract exhibited maximum cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines even at lower concentration (200 μg ml-1) followed by C. gambosa. The present study indicated that all the five mushrooms are rich source of protein, carbohydrate, fibre and minerals. P. florida, P. djamor, H. ulmarius and C. gambosa were nutritionally and medicinally superior. The commercial cultivation as well as clinical studies of these medicinally important mushrooms must be undertaken in large scale.