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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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20171
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Subject: Plantation Crops and Spices × Author: KAU × End date: 2017 × Start date: 2017 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Screening of spice chilli (capsicum annuum L) genotypes suitable for Kerala
    (Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2017) Nabeela, K; KAU; Krishnakumary, K
    Chilli (Capsicum spp.) is the third most important spice crop of the world. Among the five cultivated species, Capsicum annuum is the most widely cultivated and traded species in India. Chilli exhibits wide range of genetic diversity and cultivated for various uses either for marketing as green chillies in fresh form (green, red, multicolour whole fruits), processed products (sauce, paste, canned chilli, pickles etc.), dried spice (whole and ground form) or industrial extracts (oleoresin, capsaicinoids, carotenoids). At present chilli is not cultivated for dry or spice purpose in Kerala and our requirement is met from nearby states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Bacterial wilt is the main problem faced in the cultivation of chilli in Kerala and already proven high yielding varieties may not be suitable to Kerala conditions. Identification of spice chilli types suitable for warm humid tropics of Kerala will pave way for promoting and popularizing their large scale cultivation in Kerala. In this context, the present study entitled “Screening of spice chilli (Capsicum annuumL.) genotypes suitable for Kerala” was under taken with the objectives of evaluation of chilli accessions for morphological characters and biochemical characters and identifications of types with processing qualities that can be used as spice chilli. Materials used in this study consist of 35 genotypes including indigenous types and released varieties of chilli. In the morphological characterization twenty quantitative and ten qualitative characters were recorded from two replications. Fruits of all the genotypes were subjected to biochemical analysis of capsaicin content, oleoresin content and colour value and wide variability was observed for both morphological and biochemical characters. Among the genotypes CA 22, CA 27, CA 28 and CA 29 were found taller (more than 100 cm) and CA 31 was the shortest with a plant height of less than 50 cm, CA 27 had highest leaf length and CA 6 recorded highest leaf breadth. Genotypes like CA 25 and CA 21 were early in flowering (less than 35 days) and fruiting (less than 40 days) whereas CC 1, CC 2 and CC3 were late in flowering (more than 70 days) and fruiting (more than 75 days).Distinct variation was observed for fruit characters viz fruit length (3.9 cm – 12.3 cm), fruit width (0.61cm - 2.32 cm), fruit weight (2.31 g – 13.31 g), number of fruits per plant (11.9 – 45.4), dry yield per plant (5.6g - 47.53 g) etc.Three genotypes (CA 23, CA 29 and CA 32) performed better with individual fruit weight of more than 10g.Number of fruits per plant is an important economic character and more than forty fruits per plant were observed in CA 7, CA 22, CA 19 and CA 25. In the present investigation, fresh yield per plant ranged from 39.72 g (CA 26) to 318. 6 g (CA 32) and dry yield per plant ranged from 5.6 g (CA 14) to 47.53g (CA 13). Among the genotypes, CA 26 recorded maximum driage (39.51 %) and minimum driage was recorded in CA 14 (7.14 %). High driage (more than 30%) was obtained in CA 26, CA 10, CA 12 and CA 31. Considerable variability was observed with respect to qualitative characters like leaf colour (light green to dark green), mature fruit colour (light green to dark green), ripe fruit colour (light red to dark red), fruit shape (elongated and tapering to conical), fruit surface (smooth to wrinkled) and seed colour (light yellow to dark yellow) where as no variability was observed for corolla colour. Bacterial wilt was the major disease observed in field and considerable variability was recorded for the disease incidence ranging from 0 % to 85 %. Most of the released varieties were wilt prone except KAU varieties while most of the local genotypes were tolerant to bacterial wilt as seen in CA 22, CA 23, CC 1, CC 2 and CC 3. The highest wilt incidence (85%) was observed in CA 15 followed by CA 14 (70%).Biochemical analysis revealed that CA 25 (0.95%) and CA 16 (0.91%) were highly pungent among Capsicum annnuumtypeswhere asamong Capsicumchinense types, the highest capsaicin content was recorded for CC 2 (1.09 %). CA 16,CA 1, CC 2 and CC 3 had high oleoresin recovery (more than 25%) whereas CA 31, CA 30, CA 8 and CA 32 recorded high colour value (more than 100 ASTA units). Correlation and clustering analysis was done between fruit and yield contributing characters. Correlation analysis indicated that fruit weight was significantly and positively contributed to fruit length and width, placenta length and weight pericarp weight and thickness and dry yield.It is revealed that fruit weight and number of fruits per plant are the important yield contributing parameters. Cluster analysis is an appropriate method for determining the genetic diversity. Based on cluster analysis, all the thirty five chilli genotypes under the study were grouped into eight clusters with significant variation among the clusters and within clusters for different character studied. Cluster 2, cluster 4 and cluster 8 were distinct from other clusters. Based on the study, a few genotypes were found promising as spice chilli (CA 13, CA 16, CA 22, CA 25, CA 27 and CA 28), vegetable chilli (CA 3, CA 7, CA 8, CA 9, CA 10, VA 11, CA 12, and CA 23) and for industrial purpose (CA 16, CA 25, CC 1, CC 2 and CC 3).