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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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20212
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Subject: Seed Science and Technology × Author: KAU × End date: 2023 × Start date: 2021 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Impact of biopriming on seed quality and longevity in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
    (Department of Seed Science And Technology, College of Agriculture,Vellanikkara, 2021) Ruth Olivya Sarella; KAU; Dijee Bastian
    The study "Impact of bio-priming on seed quality and longevity in rice" (Oryza sativa L.) was conducted at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara to study the effect of different seed priming treatments on seed quality and seed longevity under natural as well as accelerated ageing. Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma viride, coconut water was used for seed priming rice variety Jyothy. Seeds of rice variety Jyothy were treated with the following treatments: -, Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10g/kg (T1), Trichoderma viride @ 4g/kg (T2), Coconut water @ 75% (T3), P. fluorescens + T. viride (T4), P. fluorescens + coconut water (T5), T. viride + coconut water (T6), P. fluorescens + T. viride + coconut water (T7), Hydro priming (T8), Control (untreated) (T9). Both treated and untreated seeds were dried to <10 per cent moisture content and packed in Polyethylene bags (700 guage). The treated seeds were allowed to age both naturally and under accelerated ageing conditions. There were significant differences among the treatments on seed quality parameters. Irrespective of the treatment, germination, seedling growth (dry weight, length of root and shoot), vigour index- I (VI-I), vigour index- II (VI-II), speed of germination, SOD enzyme activity, dehydrogenase enzyme activity decreased significantly over the storage period. A significant increase in seed moisture content, electrical conductivity, Mean Germination Time (MGT), Time taken for 50% germination (T50) and seed microflora, was observed with increase in storage period. Seed treatment with P. fluorescens (10g/kg) + T. viride (4g/kg) + coconut water (75%) retained a germination per cent of (83.69%) and higher vigour indices among the treatments after nine months of storage followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10g/kg (T1) and P. fluorescens + T. viride (T4) while treatment hydropriming (T8) was found to be inferior in all quality parameters. Coconut water treatments were found to be superior in increasing root and shoot length of the seedlings across the storage period which was reflected in the vigour indices. Bio priming with P. fluorescens resulted in early emergence of seedlings. Seed microflora was found to increase significantly towards the end of storage period. This increase was least in P fluorescens @ 10g/kg (T1), Aspergillus spp., Pencillium spp. were observed in the primed seeds. In present study it was found that among bio primed treatments P fluorescens treated seeds performed better than T. viride treated seeds in all quality parameters. Accelerated aged seed samples were gathered and tested at daily intervals for 7 days to evaluate seed quality parameters. In general, dry priming performed better than wet primed seeds. Vigour indices was found to be highest in bio primed seeds (T2, T4 , T7) than othertreatments Seed longevity is found to be higher in bio primed seeds which can be evaluated from speed of germination (T1, T4, T7), electrical conductivity (T2, T4 ), dehydrogenase and SOD enzyme activities. Seed infection (%) increased towards the end of ageing period and recorded least in P. fluorescens treatments (T1, T7, T5) Seed treatments P. fluorescens (10g/kg) + T. viride (4g/kg) + coconut water (75%) was the best treatment followed by P fluorescens @ 10g/kg of seeds in improving seed quality as well as seed longevity. Treatments P fluorescens @ 10g/kg (T1), T. viride @ 4g/kg (T2), P. fluorescens + T. viride (T4), P. fluorescens + T. viride + coconut water (T7) of seed may be used as seed treatments to enhance seed longevity in rice.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Impact of potassium and ABA application on vivipary and seed quality in oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo var. conomon Mak.)
    (Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2021) Vaisakh, K; KAU; Dijee Bastian
    Oriental pickling melon is a crop with cultural and economic significance in Kerala. Vivipary has been observed in this crop which reduces the seed yield and quality. Adjusting the planting time and application of some chemicals were found effective in controlling vivipary. The study on ‘Impact of potassium and ABA application on vivipary and seed quality in oriental pickling melon (Cucumis melo var. conomon Mak.)’ was conducted at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara, Thrissur during the year 2019-2021 using the variety ‘Saubhagya’ to understand the effect of different levels of potassium and ABA on vivipary and the quality of seeds. The crop was sown during the month of February (2021) following randomised block design with eight treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted two foliar sprays of potassium (0.5% MOP, 1% MOP, 1.5% MOP) at 50 per cent flowering and at an interval of two weeks after flowering, one foliar spray of abscisic acid (100 mg/l ABA, 200 mg/l ABA and 300 mg/l ABA) at 50 per cent flowering and a basal application of recommended fertilizers with 50 percent additional potassium (POP + 50% K). The treatments had significant impact on fruit and seed quality parameters. The fruit length and yield were enhanced in the ABA treatments. The potassium treatment, POP + 50% K also gave significantly higher fruit yield which was on par with the ABA treatments. Higher content of potassium in fruit flesh and placenta was observed in 300 mg/l ABA treatment. The treatments were effective in controlling the vivipary. The abscisic acid treatment (300 mg/l ABA) was the most effective which reduced the vivipary up to 1.37 per cent followed by the treatment with potassium (1.5 per cent MOP) where the vivipary was 3.29 per cent. The number of seeds per fruit and the total seed yield was the highest in the treatment with 300 mg/l abscisic acid. The seeds extracted from fruits harvested from the field experiment were used for the seed longevity studies. The storage potential was assessed with the help of accelerated ageing test. The seeds were tested for different quality parameters after each day of accelerated ageing and the results showed that the seed quality deteriorated during the 7-days of ageing in all treatments. The seed quality parameters like vigour, germination, shoot and root length decreased whereas the electrical conductivity of seed leachate, mean germination time, seed moisture and seed infection per cent increased indicating a decline in seed quality over accelerated ageing. The highest germination and vigour throughout the accelerated ageing was observed in seeds collected from treatment 100 mg/l ABA and it maintained minimum germination for seed certification prescribed by IMSCS (60.00% for melon) till day 4 of accelerated ageing. The highest dry weight of seedling and lowest electrical conductivity of seed leachate were observed in seeds extracted from treatment 300 mg/l ABA. The seed infection did not vary among the treatments. Initially there was no incidence of any pathogens but as the ageing period advanced the seed infection per cent increased. The pathogens like Aspergillus sp. and Pencillium sp. were identified. The agar plate method showed higher infection per cent compared to blotter method. From the study it can be concluded that the overall performance of the seed was found to be higher in abscisic acid treatment (300 mg/l ABA) indicating that it is the best treatment among all the treatments given.