Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

19991
Reset filters
Subject: Silviculture and Agroforestry × Author: KAU × Author: Vimal, M × End date: 1999 × Start date: 1996 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Soil-plant nutritional status of Tectona grandis L.f. in relation to age and site quality
    (Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 1999) Vimal, M; KAU; Sudhakara, K
    A study was conducted at College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, KAU, during the period 1994-1996 to identify and assess the nutritional factors limiting productivity of teak plantations, of different age groups belonging to different site qualities, spread through out the State of Kerala. The study was aimed to find out the influence of nutrient status of soil and leaf on the growth as represented through volume and current annual increment in basal area per tree. Another objective was to find out the influence of soil characteristics like pH, organic carbon and nutrient contents on foliar nutrient concentration of teak. The leaf samples were analysed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations. The soil samples were analysed for pH, organic carbon, available P, total N and exchangeable K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn. The whole set of 300 trees was divided into three age groups as < = 20 years, > 20 and < = 40 years and > 40 years and stepwise regression was carried out by taking volume as dependent variable for each group separately. The resultant equations in stepwise regression were utilized to characterize the nature of response surface and to find the optimum levels of soil attributes and foliar nutrient elements. For analysing the relationship between soil attributes and foliar nutrient concentrations a technique called canonical correlation analysis was used. The relation between leaf nutrient status and tree volume was feeble in all the three age groups. In all the three age groups, the critical nutrient concentrations with respect to tree volume do not seem to be attained by the levels of nutrients available in the present data set, indicating a increase in tree volume by adequate supply of the appropriate nutrient elements. 2 The relation between tree growth and nutrient status of soil was stronger compared to the relation between the tree growth and nutrient status of soil. For the first two age group selected, the models were linear in nature. For the older plantations (Age > 40 years), almost 50 per cent of the variation in tree volume was explained by the soil nutrient levels. For this age group soil phosphorus had a quadratic term in the model and the point of maximal response for phosphorus was predicted at P = 26.66 ppm. The relationship between current annual increment in basal area per tree and nutrient status of leaves and soil was also linear. Age related change in current annual increment is positively modified by the level of soil nitrogen. To find out the relationship between the leaf attributes and soil attributes canonical correlation analysis was used. For the younger age group (age < = 20 years) soil organic carbon had a significant positive influence on leaf nitrogen and leaf potassium concentrations while it had a negative effect on leaf Fe and leaf Mg concentrations. Also significant positive correlation was seen between leaf Ca and soil Ca for all the age groups. The canonical correlation analysis showed that as the age of the plantations increases and the canopy closure occurs, the leaf nutrient contents influence the soil fertility attributes to a greater extend due to the effect of litter fall.