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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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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Inhibitory effects of certain plant extracts on the incidence of cowpea mosaic
    (Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1990) Mallika Devi, S; KAU; Rajagopalan, B
    The inhibitory effect of certain plant extracts on the incidence of cowpea mosaic was studied. Preliminary screening of non-host plants for antiviral property against cowpea mosaic virus revealed that extracts of sixteen plants viz. Adenocalyma allicea, Azadirachta indica, Boerhaavia diffusa, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Calotropis gigantean, Clerodendron inflortunatum, Curcuma longa, Eupatorium odoratum, Ferrula indica, Mirabilis jalapa, Moringa Olifera, Phyllanthus niruri, Polyalthia longifolia, solanum indicum, Thespesia populnea and Vitex negundo inhibited the production of local lesions on the leaves of Chenopodium amaranticolor indicating that these extracts possessed antiviral property. The extracts of A. Indica, B. diffusa, B. spectabilis, C. gigantean, C. infortunatum, C. longa, M. jalapa, P. niruri, S. indicum, and V. negundo caused 100 per cent inhibition of the production of local lesions on C. amaranticolor even at five per cent concentration. The inhibitory effect of the plant extracts was found to be less pronounced when tested on the primary leaves of cowpea seedlings. Pre - inoculation application of plant extracts was found to be more effective than post-inoculation application in checking the incidence of cowpea mosaic. In insect transmission studies with Aphis craccivora cent per cent inhibition of disease incidence was obtained with the extracts of A. indicum, C. infortunatum, P. niruri and V. negundo. Studies on the effect of plant extracts on the acquisition and transmission of cowpea mosaic virus by A. craccivora revealed that the extract of P. niruri caused 100 per cent reduction over control. Maximum inhibition of disease development was obtained in plants inoculated with cowpea mosaic virus upto two days after the application of extracts of A. indica, P. niruri, V. negundo and C. infortunatum. Extracts of V. negundo and A. indica caused considerable reduction in the survival of A. craccivora on cowpea. The present studies indicated that, the extract of C. infortunatum had some systemic effect against cowpea mosaic virus. Repeated application of plant extracts on cowpea plants revealed that V. negundo had the maximum inhibitory effect on symptom development, in both sap and insect transmission trials. Height and weight of plants, number and weight of pods and root nodules of cowpea plants treated with plant extracts were found to be more than that of the control.