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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: KAU × Author: Purushothaman, S M × End date: 2013 × Start date: 2013 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Pathogenic and genetic variability in Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Ishiyama) Swings et al. and the management of bacterial blight disease
    (Department of Plant Pathology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2013) Purushothaman, S M; KAU; Rehumath Niza, T J
    Bacterial blight of rice is a major threat in rice cultivation causing huge yield loss to the crop. Realizing the practical importance, an investigation entitled on “Pathogenic and genetic variability in Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae (Ishiyama) Swings et al. and management of bacterial blight disease” was carried out during 2006-2011. A series of surveys conducted in 14 locations of three major rice growing districts (Alappuzha, Palakkad and Thrissur) of Kerala during September 2007 to find out the occurrence of bacterial blight disease. High incidence was recorded in Palakkad district. During, the survey, the characteristic symptom of bacterial blight as yellow lesions on the both the margins of the leaf leaving a green area in the centre of leaf were observed. The pathogen causing bacterial blight of rice was isolated from 14 locations of the said districts and their pathogenicity was established. Based on the cultural, morphological and biochemical characters, the pathogen was identified as Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae (Xoo) (Ishiyama) Swings et al. The 14 isolates showed slight variation in their cultural, morphological and biochemical characters. Pathotype studies were conducted in net house using 14 isolates on 20 popular and commonly cultivated rice varieties, six near isogenic lines having different R genes/gene combination and two rice differentials with no genes. It could distinguish the virulence spectrum of the isolates into three groups/categories namely ‘highly virulent’, ‘moderately virulent’ and ‘weakly virulent’ isolates/strains. The study on the kresek symptom also confirmed the above finding. BOX and ERIC-PCR fingerprinting depicted the existence of high level of genetic variability among the pathogen population in the rice growing areas of Kerala. In vitro sensitivity of six bactericides against the four highly virulent isolates of Xoo revealed that tetracycline 250 ppm, tetracycline 100 ppm, tetracycline 50 ppm, streptocycline 250 ppm, streptocycline 200 ppm and Bactrinashak 250 ppm were effective against the pathogen. In vitro sensitivity of different organics and agrochemicals revealed that cow dung extract 2% + vermicompost extract 2%, cow dung extract 2% + P. fluorescens 2%, vermicompost extract 2% + P. fluorescens 2%, vermicompost extract 2 %, copper hydroxide 0.15% were found effective against the pathogen, in that order. The 110 bacterial isolates obtained from rice rhizosphere, rice endosphere and cowdung and vermicompost, screened against the Polpully virulent pathogen could yield six prominent bacterial isolates viz., RE-1, RR-26, RR-53, CB-39, VB-67 and VB-69 and were tentatively identified as Pseudomonas sp. Pot culture experiment, showed that tetracycline 250 ppm, tetracycline 100 ppm, streptocycline 250 ppm, Bactrinashak 250 ppm, tetracycline 50 ppm, bacteria from cow dung (CB-39), bacteria from vermicompost (VB-69), endosphere bacteria (RE-1), rhizosphere bacteria (RR-26), cow dung extract 2% + P. fluorescens 2%, vermicompost extract 2% + P. fluorescens 2% and cow dung extract 2% + vermicompost extract 2%, rhizosphere bacteria (RR-53) and copper hydroxide 0.15% were found best in managing the bacterial blight disease. Seven bacterial antagonists viz., RE-1, RR-26, RR-53, CB-39, VB-67 VB-69 and Pf1 when subjected to compatibility studies against Xoo under in vitro showed 17 combinations, showing synergistic effect in inhibiting the Xoo. In the compatibility study of seven antagonists with nine pesticides, 71 two way combinations were found synergestic effect against Xoo. The compatibility of 13 agrochemicals under in vitro against Xoo, revealed that 50 two way combinations showed synergistic action in inhibiting the pathogen. Three two way combinations showed compatible action in inhibiting the pathogen. In the compatibility of four fertilizers viz., urea, rajphos, muriate of potash and ammonium sulphate showed that five two way combinations proved synergistic action in inhibiting the pathogen. All the seven antagonistic bacteria and 17 agrochemicals showed the compatible reaction in inhibiting Xoo. The seven bacterial antagonists were subjected for various growth promoting characters viz., ‘P’ solubilization, NH3 and HCN production. The six isolates differed slightly for the above characters. All the isolates could produce siderophore and IAA. A few isolates could produce non volatile metabolites. The field study established the most practical finding that the tetracycline 50 ppm, tetracycline 100 ppm, bacterial consortium (RE-1+CB-39), bacterial consortium (CB-39 +VB-69), bacteria from cow dung (CB-39), endosphere bacteria (RE-1), bacteria from vermicompost (VB-69), streptocycline 250 ppm, Bactrinashak 250 ppm, cow dung extract 2% + KAU-(Pf1) 2%, rhizosphere bacteria (RR-26) and KAU-(Pf1) 2% were found promising in managing bacterial blight disease of rice. Thus, apart from bactericides, there was a variety of highly promising organic management possibilities to combat the disease.