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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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2010 - 20162
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Subject: Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry × Author: KAU × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2010 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Persistence and transformation of carbosulfan in laterite and coastal alluvium soils of Kerala and its effect on soil organisms
    (Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, Vellayani, 2016) Dhanya, M S; KAU; Thomas, George
    The study entitled „Persistence and transformation of carbosulfan in laterite and coastal alluvium soils of Kerala and its effect on soil organisms‟ was conducted at Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry and the laboratory attached to the All India Network Project (AINP) on Pesticide Residues, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala during 2015-16. The main objectives of the experiment were to study the persistence, mobility and transformation of carbosulfan in laterite and coastal alluvium soils of Kerala (in cropped and non cropped situation) and to assess its effect on soil organisms. Laterite and coastal alluvial soils were collected from Vellayani and Kazhakkoottam respectively. The physico-chemical analysis of the soils were done which revealed that coastal alluvial soils had an organic matter content of 0.84 per cent while laterite had only 0.41 per cent. The primary and secondary nutrients were comparatively higher for coastal alluvial than laterite soil. The method for the estimation of carbosulfan residues from the soils were validated at 0.05, 0.25 and 0.50 μg g-1 level of carbosulfan. Modified QuEChERS method with acetonitrile as extracting solvent and Primary Secondary Amine (PSA) sorbent for clean up was found to be suitable for the estimation of carbosulfan from the soil. Mobility of carbosulfan was assessed by loading 3 levels viz., 100, 150 and 200 μg of carbosulfan 25 EC separately on top of soil columns in PVC pipes and eluting with 20, 40, 80 and 160 mL of water. In the laterite soil, carbosulfan moved down the soil column and resulted in residue levels ranging from 1.50-0.04, 2.29-0.27 and 3.55-0.05 mg kg-1 at 100, 150 and 200 μg levels, respectively when eluted with water. In the coastal alluvial soil, the corresponding residues ranged from 1.78-0.32, 2.20-0.51 and 3.07-0.72 mg kg-1 at 100, 150 and 200 μg level after elution with water. The residues found on the leachate ranged from 0.001-0.01mg kg-1 for laterite and 0.001-0.03 mg kg-1 for coastal alluvial soil. The persistence of carbosulfan in the laterite and coastal alluvial soils under laboratory and cropped (grow bag with chilli Ujwala variety) conditions was studied using two formulations viz., Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) and granular formulations each at 1, 2.5 and 5 mg kg-1 levels. The half lives (t1/2) of carbosulfan 25 EC in the laterite soil when applied at 1, 2.5 and 5mg kg-1 levels were 5.08, 7.69 and 10.53 days respectively in the laboratory condition, while in the cropped condition they were 2.17, 4.60 and 5.24 days, respectively. In coastal alluvial soil, application of carbosulfan 25 EC at 1, 2.5 and 5 mg kg-1 level resulted in half lives of 2.35, 2.91 and 4.96 days respectively in the laboratory condition and 2.95, 4.59 and 5.13 days respectively under cropped condition. The persistence of carbosulfan granule in the laterite soil at the same level resulted in half lives of 9.88, 10.50 and 11.50 days in the laboratory condition and 3.26, 5.16 and 7.30 days respectively in cropped condition. In coastal alluvial soil, the half lives of carbosulfan granules were 8.99, 9.45 and 10.45 days in the laboratory condition and 5.70, 6.50 and 9.80 days respectively in the cropped condition at 1, 2.5 and 5 mg kg-1 level of application. The three toxicologically important metabolites of carbosulfan viz., carbofuran, 3-hydroxy carbofuran and 3-keto carbofuran were monitored and the metabolite concentration was in the order of carbofuran > 3-keto carbofuran > 3-hydroxy carbofuran in the two soils. The effect of EC and granular formulation of carbosulfan on the microbial load was monitored after normal (250 g ai ha-1) and double (500 g ai ha-1) dose and found that in laterite soil the bacterial population increased to 9.45 x 106 cfu g-1 soil from the control population (6.86 x 106 cfu g-1) at normal dose of EC formulation. Granule application in the normal dose resulted in a higher population of actinomycetes (6.59 x 104 cfu g-1) than control (4.95 x 104 cfu g-1). In the coastal alluvial soil, application of EC and granules in the normal dose increased the bacterial population to 19.53 x 106 cfu g-1 and 20.35 x 106 cfu g-1 soil respectively from the control population (11.74 x106 cfu g-1). The population of arthropods declined in the two soils by carbosulfan treatment at both levels. The study concluded that the mobility of carbosulfan was found to be higher in the coastal alluvial soil compared to laterite soil. The persistence of carbosulfan was higher in granular formulation than in EC in both soils. Transformation of carbosulfan gives carbofuran as the major metabolite which on further degradation gives 3-keto and 3- hydroxy carbofuran in soil. The normal dose application of carbosulfan had certain positive effect on the soil organisms but the double dose application resulted in a considerable reduction in the population of microbes in the two soils.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Dynamics of zinc in typic kandiustults with special reference to nutrition in fodder maize(Zea mays L.)
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 2010) Thankamony, K; KAU; Sumam Susan, Varghese