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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: Beethi, Balachandran × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2007 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Population dynamics of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria under the influence of agricultural chemicals
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2007) Beethi, Balachandran; KAU; Rajendran, Pillai M V
    Rhizobacteria that are beneficial to the plant growth and development are often referred to as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Application of PGPR is often found to increase plant growth, development and yield. Now a days, use of PGPR is on an increasing trend in sustainable ecofriendly agriculture. Along with the micro organisms, the farming community is still applying plant protection chemicals and fertilizers in modern agriculture. Even though chemical application will help a lot to protect the crops from pest and diseases, their application may influence the PGPR also. Scientific data on the compatibility aspects of agricultural chemicals with PGPR is scanty. With this in view, the present study on ‘ Population dynamics of plant growth promoting Rhizobacteria under the influence of agricultural chemicals’ was taken up at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 2003-2007. Five numbers of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides were tested along with their combinations in vitro and in the field. The ultimate idea was to evolve a database for compatibility of chemicals and PGPR. The studies revealed that the fungicide copper oxychloride was most deleterious to the growth of Azospirillum sp. and P. fluorescens, whereas, tridemorph inhibited the growth of B. subtilis under in vitro conditions. In the combination studies, it was found that the fungicide mancozeb when combined with all herbicides and all insecticides inhibited the growth of Azospirillum sp. The combinations of all fungicides with paraquat and the combination of copper oxychloride with carbaryl were found highly inhibitory to the growth of B. subtilis. The combination of the insecticide lindane with the herbicide paraquat was inhibitory to the growth of Azospirillum sp. In the case of B. subtilis, the combination of carbaryl with paraquat was deleterious. Another result was that, the fungicide carbendazim, all insecticides except carbaryl and all herbicides except paraquat were least inhibitory to all the test organisms at their recommended doses under in vitro conditions. In the combination studies, carbendazim with all insecticides and herbicides were found least inhibitory to the growth of PGPR. Also the combination of lindane, lamda cyhalothrin and chlorpyriphos with the herbicide 2, 4 –D were found least inhibitory to the growth of these beneficial rhizobacteria. In the field situation, the chemicals carbendazim, chlorpyriphos and 2, 4-D were evaluated against these beneficial rhizobacteria and it was found that these chemicals affected the bacterial population immediately after their application to soil. All the bacterial populations recorded a decreasing trend as the rice plants grow. This trend was also noticed in the treatments where these PGPR were applied alone. The treatments significantly influenced the growth parameters of the rice plants and the post harvest observations like shoot weight, root weight, root length and panicle weight. Increase in growth parameters like plant height, production of tillers and productive tillers were recorded in the treatments where these PGPR were applied in combination with chlorpyriphos. In the post harvest observations like shoot weight, root weight and root length, positive influence was maximum in the same treatments. But the panicle weight and nutrient content were maximum in the treatments where all the beneficial rhizobacteria applied alone. Based on the overall results on the studies, compatibility charts of agricultural chemicals and PGPR were prepared which will be a base for future recommendations on the use of chemicals and PGPR together.