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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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2000 - 20044
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Subject: Plant Physiology × End date: 2004 × Start date: 2000 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Physiological aspects of ex vitro establishment of tissue cultured orchid plantlets
    (Department Of Plant physiology, College Of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2000) Samasya, K S; KAU; Viji, M M
    The present investigation was undertaken to elicit information on the physiological, morphological, biochemical, biometric and anatomical changes during in vitro propagule multiplication and ex vitro establishment in tissue cultured plantlets of orchids. Dendrobium hybrid Sonia 17 was the variety used for the study. The rooting media was supplemented with different levels of sucrose. At the time of planting the plantlets were subjected to triazole treatment. During the process of hardening the plantlets were maintained in hardening chambers with different levels of light and humidity. Among growth parameters the crop growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and relative growth rate (RGR) were found to be high at 40 gIl of sucrose concentration. The CGR of these plantlets were on par with normal green house grown plantlets. The photosynthetic rate was found to increase and the transpiration rate was found to decrease at 40 gIl of sucrose . concentration. The maximum survival percentage of the in vitro plantlets occur when 40 g11 of sucrose incorporated in the rooting medium. This may be attributed to the influence of the sucrose concentration on morphological characters studied viz. plant height, number of leaves per shoot and number of roots per shoot. With regard to photosynthetic pigments an increase in the content of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a chlorophyll b and carotenoids occurred in plantlets treated with 40 g/1 of sucrose. Also the protein content and carbohydrate content was maximum at the above sucrose level. The leaf area, root length, total fresh weight and dry weight of the plantIets maintained at 40 gIl of sucrose level were higher than other treatments. These effects ultimately lead to better survival percentage. Triazole treatment of plantIets during planting out helped in better survival percentage. With regard to the growth parameters the effect was distinct towards the later stage of growth. CG~ NAR and RGR were maximum on the triazole treated (5 mgll) plantIets and was comparable to normal green house grown plants. There was marked increase in the photosynthetic rate and decrease in transpiration rate of plantIets treated with 5 mgll of triazole. However the photosynthetic rate of normal green house grown plants were much more than the tissue cultured plantIets. Regarding morphological characters, increasing concentration of triazole had negative influence on plant height. However plant height of normal green house grown plants were distinctively higher than tissue cultured plantIets. With regard to number of leaves per shoot, triazole treatment showed significant effect only after 30 days of planting out, whereas the number of roots per shoot was very much influenced by triazole. The maximum number of roots was produced at 5mgll of triazole treatment and these effects in turn influenced higher survival percentage of plantIets. ------....- ....- ~ - - - ----- Regarding the biochemical aspects total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids contents of plantlets treated with triazole (5 mg/l) were higher and found to be on par with that of green house grown normal plants towards the later stage. The protein content was also positively influenced by triazole treatment (5 mgll) and the value was comparable to that of normal plantlets. In the case of carbohydrate content the treatment becomes statistically significant and the normal green house grown plants exhibited distinctively higher value. The plantlets treated with 5 mgll of triazole were found to have higher leaf area, root length, root: shoot ratio, total fresh weight and dry weight than other treatments. However the root shoot ratio and total fresh weight of treated plantlets were on par with the normal green house grown plants towards the later stage viz, 45DAP. The physiological, morphological, biochemical and biometric characters of the plantlets were also found to be influenced by different levels of light intensity and humidity maintained in the hardening chamber. Among the different treatments, plantlets grown at 50 percent light intensity and 70 to 90 percent relative humidity exhibited higher CG~ NAR and RGR. Also these plantlets exhibited a marked increase in photosynthetic rate and decrease in transpiration rate. However CGR and NAR of green house grown normal plants were distinctively higher during the later period. However the normal plants had distinctively higher CG~ RGR and photosynthetic and very less transpiration rate than other treatments. The plantlets grown under 50 percent light intensity and 70 to 90 percent humidity produced maximum plant height, number of leaves and number of roots per shoot. The survival percent of the tissue cultured plantlets in the field condition (green house) was found to be superior under appropriate environment of light and humidity (50 percent light intensity and 70 to 90 percent relative humidity) There was not much significant difference among the treatments of light and humidity in the case of pigment content. However the plantlets grown in the hardening chamber maintained at 50 percent light intensity and 70 to 90 percent of relative humidity recorded maximum value of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids among treatments and the normal green house grown plants exhibited distinctively higher pigment content. The normal plantlets recorded marked increase in protein content and carbohydrate content than the tissue cultured plantlets. In the present study, an environment of 50 percent light intensity and 70 to 90 percent relative humidity was found to be superior and could favour enhanced leaf area, total fresh weight, total dry weight and root length of plantlets which ultimately resulted in better survival percentage. The in vitro plantlets observed to have anatomical characters as compared to the normal green house grown plants and hardened plantlets. The stomata remained open and less number of stomata per unit area of leaf was observed as the in vitro leaves were concerned. Another peculiarity of the in vitro plantlets was the absence of cuticle layer. The mesophyll layers were also found to be less compared to normal plantlets. These anatomical characters were one of the severe limitations of the micropropagated orchid plantlets during ex vitro establishment which ultimately resulted in high rate of field mortality.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of abiotic stress on the physiology and andrographolide content in andrographis paniculata nees.
    (Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2004) Parthasarathy, V; KAU; Roy Stephen
    An experiment was conducted in the Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to study the influence of abiotic stress on growth, physiological and biochemical parameters and andrographolide content of the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata. The abiotic stresses include three levels of light (open, 50% and 75% shade), three levels of salinity (control, 3 and 6 mmhos/cm) and three levels of water stress (100%, 60% and 30% field capacity). The treatments were imposed for a period of 30, 60 and 90 days after planting. Growth parameters of plant height, leaf area, leaf area duration, dry matter production, specific leaf area, net assimilation rate and relative growth rate were recorded in plants from different treatment combinations. The treatments having maximum effect on the andrographolide content were selected from each shade level for the detailed study of various physiological and biochemical parameters. The effect of stress on the level of expression of HMG-CoA reductase was assessed by Relative quantitative RT-PCR. The secondary metabolite andrographolide content was estimated spectrophotometrically. The andrographolide content was high (1.35 %) in open condition at growth stage of 90 days with 6 dsm-1 salinity and water stress of 60 % FC. Based on the andrographolide content, five treatment combinations were selected from each shade level for further analysis. The physiological parameters like chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, stomatal frequency and membrane stability index were recorded. The biochemical analyses on starch, sugar, amino acids, protein, phenol, and ascorbic acid were recorded from the selected treatment combinations. The activity of oxidative free radical scavenging enzymes namely catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase were also estimated in the above selected treatment. It was seen that on plant height, leaf area, leaf area duration, specific leaf area, net assimilation rate were high in 50% shade condition. The membrane stability was found to follow trend similar in open and 50% shade condition but low in 75% shade condition. The chlorophyll content was found to increase under shade condition. The chlorophyll ‘a’ and total chlorophyll were high in 50% shade and chlorophyll ‘b’ was high in 75% shade condition. The stomatal conductance and frequency were high in open condition and low in 75% shade condition. The starch, reducing sugar, and protein were high in shade condition. The phenol and total free amino acids were high in open condition and low in 75%shade condition. A positive relationship was obtained between phenol and andrographolide content. The antioxidant enzymes, catalase was high in 75% shade condition and low in open condition but the peroxidase and SOD was high in open condition and low in the 75% shade condition. The relationship between phenol and andrographolide content was positive. On the other hand an inverse trend between the sugar, starch and protein content with andrographolide was observed. The water stress and salinity reduce the growth parameters corresponding to the stress levels. The biochemical parameters like starch, sugar, phenol, protein, amino acids showed a reducing trend with increase in the severity while the activity of free radical enzymes showed an increase. There was positive relationship with the catalase activity and andrographolide content. The secondary metabolite under open condition increased under open condition and decreased under the shade condition. From this experiment it was evident that abiotic stress invariably increased the secondary metabolite-andrographolide content, which has reported to have an antioxidant activity. The gene expression was made under 50% shade and there was light inhibition of expression under open condition. The mRNA was found to be reduced under water stress and salinity. It was inferred that the andrographolide accumulation might be corresponding with the activity of plastidic DOXP/MEP pathway.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of growth regulators on the growth and flowering of anthurium (Anthurium andreanum Linden)
    (Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2000) Beena, R; KAU; Mercy, S. T
    An investigation on the effect of growth regulators on growth and flowering of Anthurium andreanum Linden was conducted in the Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1998-2000. Mature plants of three varieties of Anthurium andreanum Linden formed the material. The varieties used were Liver Red (L.R.), Ceylon Red (C.R.) and Kalympong Orange (K.O.). Three growth regulators namely Gibberellic Acid (GA), Tri Iodo Benzoic Acid (TIBA) and Kinetin (K) were used at 100 ppm, 300 ppm and 500 ppm concentrations. Two controls i.e., distilled water spray and no spray were also included. Each concentration of the growth regulator was sprayed three times at one month intervals. Observations were taken three months after the first spray and then at three months intervals, twice more. The effect of treatments on morphological floral, physiological and bio-chemical aspects was studied. Results of the experiments revealed that growth regulators had significant effect on most of the characters under study. They are listed below. ;.. Maximum plant height was obtained nine months after the first spray for K.O. treated with GA at 500 ppm (69.82 cm). ;.. Minimum plant spread (EW) - nine months afte~ the first spray was obtained for K.O. treated with TIBA at 100 ppm (28.44 cm) and minimum plant spread (NS) was recorded by K.O. - no spray (28.02 cm) in the ninth month of observation. 8J ~ Maximum number of leaves/spadices per year (9.0) was recorded by C.R. treated with GA at 300 and 500 ppm. ~ Minimum number of days (40.8) taken for successive leaf production was obtained for C.R. treated with GA at 300 and 500 ppm. ~ Highest" number of suckers/plant (4.6) was produced by K.O. treated with GA at 500 ppm, obtained nine months after the first spray. ~ The highest length of spadix (43.52 cm) was showed six months after the first spray by L.R. treated with GA at 500 ppm. ~ Largest spathe (95.4 cm2) was recorded three months after the first spray by K.O. treated with GA at 500 ppm. ~ Highest longevity of spadix (103 days) was obtained for L.R. treated with kinetin at 500 ppm. ~ Smallest candle size was obtained nine months after the first spray by the variety C.R. treated with TIBA at 500 ppm (4.1 cm). ~ Highest chlorophyll content (2.16 mg/g tissue) was recorded rune months after the first spray by K.O. treated with GA at 500 ppm. ~ Highest carotenoid content (10.41 mg/lOO g sample) was obtained six months after the first spray by L.R. treated with GA at 300 ppm. ~ Highest anthocyanin content (388.2 mg/l OOg sample) was recorded six months after the first spray by L.R. (control 1) distilled water spray. ~ Highest protein content (109 mg/ g tissue) was obtained six months after the first spray by K.O. treated with kinetin at 500 ppm. ~ Highest phenol content (121.2 mg/g tissue) was recorded three months after the first spray by K.O. treated with kinetin at 500 ppm. Based on the economics of growth regulator application, G.A. 500 ppm was the best treatment with positive profit increase in all the three varieties. This treatment achieved an enhanced profit of Rs. 133.70 per plant per year in the variety L.R., Rs. 86.30 enhanced profit in K.O. and Rs. 70.10 in the variety C.R.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of growth regulations on flower and fruit drop in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)
    (Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2000) Sreeja Rajendran; KAU; Viji, M. M
    Investigations were carried out at the Department of Plant Physiology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during December 1999 to March 2000 to find the effect of growth regulators viz. IAA, NAA, Triacontanol and GA in controlling flower and fruit drop in chilli var. ', Jwalasakhi. IAA, NAA and GA were used at concentrations of 10, 20, 30 and 40 ppm while Triacontanol was used at 1,2, 3 and 4 ppm. Two controls were also provided, one with distilled water spray and the other with no spray. Two sprays of growth regulators were given, one at 20 days after transplanting and the other at 40 days after transplanting. The effect of these growth regulators on morphological, growth, physiological, biochemical and yield parameters were also studied. The growth regulators produced considerable variation with respect to intensity of flowering, flower drop, fruit set and fruit drop. The flower production was increased upto 45.5 per cent with IAA 30 ppm. IAA 40 ppm was most effective in reducing the flower drop by 48.06 per cent increasing the fruit set by 69.18 per cent when compared to control (water spray). NAA 30 ppm induced earliness in flowering (23.17 days) and GA at 40 ppm showed the maximum plant height (38.93 cm). The plants treated with GA 40 ppm showed the maximum leaf area (478.04 cm2 plant"! ) and leaf area index (0.23). NAA 20 ppm recorded the highest specific leaf weight (l.30 g m-2)and IAA 30 ppm, the maximum leaf area ratio (l.08 m-2 g-l). The plants sprayed with Triacontanol 2 ppm showed the highest crop growth rate (2.24 g m-2 day-I), relative growth rate (0.033 mg g-l day' l ) and root-shoot ratio (0.69). Highest net assimilation rate (0.75 mg cm-2 day-I) was seen in plants sprayed with IAA 20 ppm. Significant influence of growth regulators was observed In the physiological and biochemical parameters studied. The highest photosynthetic rate (28.09 11 mol m-2 s-l) was seen in plants sprayed with IAA 40 ppm. GA 20 ppm recorded the highest transpiration rate (0.74 milli mole m-2 s-l). Stomatal conductance was maximum (78.0 milli mole m-2 s-l) in control plants followed by Triacontanol 1 ppm with a value of 70.9 milli mole m-2 s-l. IAA 30 ppm had a significant role in increasing the photosynthetic pigments viz., chlorophyll-a content (0.54 mg g fresh weight" 1), chlorophyll-b content (0.80 mg g fresh weight-I) and total chlorophyll content (1.13 mg g fresh weight"! ). F oliar sprays of Triacontanol 4 ppm produced the highest protein content (1.65 mg g-l) in leaves and GA 40 ppm recorded the highest carbohydrate content (112.50 mg g-l). The proline content of leaves was . more in Triacontanol 2 ppm sprays. The highest reducing sugar content (9.68 g glucose 100 g-l )of ripe fruits was seen in NAA 20 ppm, carotenoid content of 2.69 mg 100 s' in IAA 40 ppm sprays and the capsaicin content of 67.52 11 gram gram=! was recorded in IAA 10 ppm treated plants. Significant effect of growth regulators was seen in the yield parameters also. The maximum fresh weight (66.11g plant-I) and fruit yield (l83.66g planr l ) was seen in IAA 20 ppm sprays. The fruit yield was 42.6 per cent when compared to contro!' Triacontanol 3 ppm recorded the highest dry .. 1\ weight (13.22g planr ! ) and germination percentage (87.16) of seeds. The number of fruits per plant (48.83), thousand seed weight (4.62 g) and harvest index (0.77) was maximum in foliar sprays of IAA 40 ppm. The maximum fruit length (7.87cm) was recorded in Triacontanol 2 ppm while NAA 40 ppm showed the maximum breadth (1. 76 cm) of the fruits. Correlation studies indicated significant positive association of fruit yield with number of fruits per plant, harvest index and root shoot ratio. In terms of net income and benefit-cost ratio, foliar sprays of Triacontanol 1 ppm was the most remunerative. An additional expenditure of Rs. 1210 per hectare towards the growth regulator showed 51 per cent more yield over control and thus a greater benefit-cost ratio (1.51).