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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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2012 - 20163
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Subject: Processing and Food Engineering × Author: KAU × Start date: 2012 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Postharvest management practices in papaya (carica papaya L) for improving shelf life
    (Department of Processing Technology, College of Agriculture,Vellayani, 2014) Jayasheela, D S; KAU; Sreekala, G S
    The present investigation entitled “postharvest management practices in papaya (carica papaya L) for improving shelf life” was conducted at department of processing technology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to determine the stage of harvest maturity of papaya for local and distant market and to standardize postharvest practices for improved shelf life with minimum nutritional loss. The study was carried out in three different continuous experiments. For local market, papaya fruits harvested at ¼ yellow (144.37 DFFB – Days From Full Bloom) and ½ yellow (146.12 DFFB) stages revealed ¼ maturity as the best stage of harvest due to increased shelf life. For distant market, the fruits were harvested at one stripe yellow (142.00 DFFB) and fully mature green (139.38 DFFB) and fruits harvested at fully mature green stage had more shelf life and hence selected as best stage of harvest for distant market. Investigation on the efficacy of different sanitizing agents on surface decontamination revealed that papaya fruits harvested at ¼ yellow for local market and fully mature green fruits for distant market, washed and treated with hot water at 50% C for 20 minutes and warm sodium hypochloride at 150 ppm was effective in reducing bacterial and fungal population. The effect of waxing and ethylene absorbent was studied on papaya fruits harvested for local and distant markets, sanitized with the two best sanitising agents. For local market, fruits harvested at ¼ maturity and sanitised with hot water at 500 C for 20 minutes followed by cooling, waxing and packing with ethylene absorbent (KMnO4 – Potassium permanganate) 8.0/kg fruit as sachet in corrugated fibre board boxes recorded highest shelf life (11.00 days), lowest physiological loss in weight (1.84 per cent ), lowest loss in membrane integrity (58.18 percent leakage), lowest respiration rate (30.33 mg CO2 /kg/hr), highest total soluble solids (12.660 Brix), least microbial population and less mechanical damage. For distant market, fruits harvested at fully mature green stage sanitised with hot water at 500C for 20 minutes followed by cooling , waxing and packed in corrugated fibre board boxes with ethylene absorbent in sachet (KMnO4 8.0g/kg fruit) improved the shelf life (12.33 days) of fruits and showed lowest physiological loss in weight (2.08 per cent), lowest loss in membrane integrity (57.82 percent leakage), lowest respiration rate (35.00 mgCO2/kg/hr) higher total soluble solids (11.330 Brix), microbial population and less mechanical damage. Further studies are required for the refinement of the technology for reducing postharvest losses in papaya fruits for transport to distant market.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of pickling mangoes for processing quality
    (Department of Processing Technology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2016) Zeenath, K. K; KAU; Jyothi, M L
    Mango (Mangiferaindica Linn.), popularly known as the “King of fruits”, is cherished for its flavour, succulence and delicious taste. In India the fruit is cultivated in an area of 2,312 ha and the production is around 15.03 million tons, contributing 40.48% of the total world production of mango.Raw fruits of local varieties of mango trees are used for preparing various traditional products like raw slices in brine, amchur, pickle, murabba, chutneye/c. In Kerala, commercial cultivation of mango is however limited and Palakkad district ranks first in mango cultivation. Due to the proximity to Western Ghats, the state has a wealth of local varieties which are valued for its pickling quality. Tender mango pickle, commonly known as Kadumanga,and cut mango pickles are popular in Kerala. Many of these land races are juicy types. However, studies on their suitability for preparation of different products are limited. Attempts are made at RARS, Pattambi and RARS, Pilicode under Kerala Agricultural University to conserve pickling varieties. Evaluation of these collections for product development is yet to be done. The study on “Evaluation of pickling mangoes for processing quality.” was conducted in the Department of Processing Technology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, during 2014-2016 with the objective of assessing processing quality of pickling mango collections maintained at RARS, Pattambi and RARS, Pilicode. The experiment was conducted in CRD with three replications. Twenty one accessions (8 from RARS, Pilicode and 13 from RARS, Pattambi) were selected for the study out of which one was Chandrakaran. The programme was divided into two major experiments. Experiment I was “Evaluation of the accessions for quality” and experiment II “Evaluation of accessions for product development”. Fruits were collected at tender, mature and ripe mango stage. Quantitative and qualitative attributes of the selected accessions at the three stages were studied in experiment I. In experiment II fruits of these selected accessions were used for making tender mango pickle, cut mango pickle and RTS beverages. Organoleptic evaluation of these products was made at monthly intervals for three months. Microbial load was also observed in pickles at monthly intervals for three months. Results of the first experiment showed that there was significant difference between the accessions in both quantitative and qualitative characters at all three stages viz. tender, mature and ripe.Biochemical parameters such as titrable acidity increased from tender to mature stage and decreased on ripening. Polyphenol content was higher at tender stage, which decreased during maturation and ripening. Acidity of mangoes ranged from 1.91 to 5.01 per cent at tender stage,2.74 to 6.71 per cent at mature stage and from0.28 to 1.4 per cent at ripe 1.58 per cent in tender mango stage,0.61 to 3.63 per cent in mature stage and 0.7 to 3.7 per cent in ripe stage. TSS of ripe fruits varied from 12.5 to 22.2 0 brix and juice content from 20.52 to 61.63 per cent. Organoleptic evaluation of the products was conducted based on hedonic scale. Total score for tender mango pickle increased with the increasing storage time and that of RTS beverage decreased. Accessions 15 and 17 (Chandrakaran) were the best for tender mango pickling followed by Accessions 2, 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12. Acc. 4, 8, 9 and 21 were the best for cut mango pickling. Accessions 21, 17, 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 13 were good for RTS beverage preparation. Microbial population was negligible in tender mango pickle compared to cut mango pickle. Accession 8 was suitable for all the three products. Accessions 6, 8 15 and 17 were good for both tender mango and cut mango pickle preparation. Accessions 8 and 21 were good for cut mango pickle and RTS beverage. Accessions 16 and 21 were least acceptable for tender mango pickling; 16, 19 and 20 for cut mango pickling and 9, 10, 14, 16 for RTS beverages.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of pre treatments and curing methods on the quality characters of processed cardamom (Elettaria cardamom (L) Maton
    (Department of processing technology, College of horticulture, Vellayani, 2012) Sonia, V; KAU; Sreekala, G S
    The research on “Effect of pre treatments and curing methods on the quality characters of processed cardamom (Elettaria cardmomum (L.)Maton” was undertaken at Department of Processing Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani with the objective of developing a pre treatment for cardamom which can retain good quality green colour having better flavour, texture, appearance and acceptability. The experiment was done at Cardamom Research Station Pampadumpara and the analysis was carried out at Department of Processing Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani. The experiment was laid out in factorial completely randomised design with three replications. The cardamom capsules were treated with different chemicals and dried under two curing methods. Pre treatments consisted of 1% of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium sulphate, copper acetate and 0.1% of ascorbic acid, citric acid, polyethylene glycol and 500 ppm of naphthalene acetic acid. An untreated control was also included in the experiment. These cardamom capsules were then dried under conventional and modern drier and evaluated for physical, chemical and sensory qualities. The effect of pre treatments and curing methods on physical qualities of cardamom was evaluated. The boldness, bulk density and instrumental measurement of texture were not affected by the pre treatments as well as by curing methods. The greenness and total colour difference were influenced by the pre treatments. The cardamom capsules treated with 1% sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate were superior in imparting greenness to the capsule colour. The result of total colour difference also substantiates this. The chemical parameters such as moisture, chlorophyll and essential oil content were significantly influenced by different pre treatments. The curing methods did not influence the chlorophyll and essential oil content of cardamom capsules. Flavour profiles of essential oil content of small cardamom were analysed using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. The major ten chemical components (1,8-cineole, α -terpinyl acetate, limonene, linalool, sabinene, trans nerolidol, α-terpineol, linalyl acetate, myrcene, α- pinene) present in essential oil of small cardamom were statistically analyzed. Cardamom capsules treated with 1% sodium hydroxide and 1% sodium carbonate showed better flavour profile with respect to α-terpinyl acetate, linalool and linalyl acetate in essential oil of small cardamom compared to other chemical pre treatments. The moderate content of 1,8-cineole with higher α -terpinyl acetate, linalool and linalyl acetate might have resulted in better flavour as noticed by sensory evaluation of cardamom capsules pre treated with 1% sodium hydroxide and 1% sodium carbonate. Conventionally cured cardamom capsules showed better retention of flavour compared to modern curing method with respect to 1,8-cineole, α - terpinyl acetate, limonene, linalool, α-terpineol and linalyl acetate. The pre treated cardamom capsules were analysed to find the residue content of the pre treated chemicals. The residue of sodium, potassium, magnesium, ascorbic acid and citric acid analysed were below the toxic level and would not cause any harm since they are needed in trace amounts in human body. The presence of heavy metal copper was also below the maximum residual level. The naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) content was a bit slightly above the normal level recommended for apple, pear, quince and pineapple. A significant level of residue of polyethylene glycol (PEG) was noted compared to control. The sensory tests carried out revealed better colour, flavour, texture, appearance and overall acceptability for the cardamom capsules treated with 1% of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide compared to other pre treated capsules as well as control. The flavour, texture and overall acceptability was superior in cardamom capsules dried under conventional curing compared to modern curing. The study concludes that the pre treating cardamom capsules with 1% sodium carbonate or 1% sodium hydroxide for two minutes gave better colour, flavour and overall good acceptability of cardamom. Both curing methods were ideal with regard to the general colour and texture as indicated by instrumental measurements. However the flavour profile of essential oil of small cardamom and sensory qualities were scored in favour of conventional curing method.