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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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20211
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Subject: Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry × Author: Drishya, D S × End date: 2021 × Start date: 2021 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Soil quality index and nutrient balance in rice-rice cropping system under long-term fertilizer experiment
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2021) Drishya, D S; KAU; Thulasi, V
    Long-term experiments provide the best possible platform for studying the changes in soil properties and processes, identifying emerging trends in nutrient imbalances and deficiencies and help to formulate future strategies for maintaining soil health and quality. The present study entitled “Soil quality index and nutrient balance in rice-rice cropping system under Long Term Fertilizer Experiment” was undertaken at RARS, Pattambi and College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara. The objectives were set out to estimate soil quality index and NPK balance in rice-rice cropping system as affected by nutrient management practices under Long Term Fertilizer Experiment. The Long Term Fertilizer Experiment (LTFE) in rice-rice cropping system maintained (since 1997) at RARS Pattambi has been laid out in RBD consists of 12 treatments viz.,T1 : 50 per cent NPK, T2 : 100 per cent NPK, T3 : 150 per cent NPK, T4 : 100 per cent NPK + 600 kg ha -1 CaCO3 , T5 : 100 per cent NPK, T6 : 100 per cent NP, T7 : 100 per cent N, T8 : 100 per cent NPK + Farm Yard Manure (FYM) @ 5 t ha -1 , T9 : 50 per cent NPK + FYM @ 5 t ha -1 , T10 : 100 per cent NPK + in situ growing of Sesbania aculeata, T11 : 50 per cent NPK + in situ growing of Sesbania aculeata and T12 : Absolute control (No fertilizer or manures). The soil samples from 0-15 cm depth were collected from the different treatments of LTFE after the harvest of Virippu crop, 2020 and were analysed for various physical, chemical and biological properties. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to arrive at the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Soil Quality Index (SQI) was formulated for different nutrient management practices. Integrated nutrient management with FYM and in situ green manuring with daincha recorded higher grain and straw yields of rice. The increase in fertilizer load into the soil resulted in increase in yields while the omission of primary nutrients resulted as decline in yields. Integrated Nutrient Management practice (INM) of application of FYM along with 100 percent NPK had lower bulk density (1.17 Mg m-3 ) and higher water holding capacity (43.65 %), higher levels of available nutrients and enzyme activities in the soil. However, dehydrogenase activity did not follow the same trend as that of microbial biomass carbon in treatments wherein fertilizers alone were applied indicating the chances of shift in the microbial populations as a result of the long term application of nutrient management practices. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed for 28 soil attributes to develop the MDS and SQI was formulated using non linear scoring method. The MDS included bulk density, porosity, soil pH, permanganate oxidizable carbon, available N, total N, available sulphur, microbial biomass carbon, acid phosphatase and aryl sulfatase activities. The SQI ranged from 1.82 to 3.01. The SQI declined in the order of: T8> T10 >T9> T11> T4> T3> T2= T1> T5> T6 >T7> T12. The highest SQI was observed in T8 where 100 per cent NPK and FYM were applied. When the dosage of fertilizers was increased from 50% to 100% NPK on integration with FYM, the SQI increased. The soil quality index of the INM treatments (55.50 to 62.11%) and lime incorporation (52.98%) were categorized under medium category as per the computed Relative SQI (RSQI) values. The virippu crop (2020) under LTFE maintained at RARS Pattambi was monitored and various inputs and outputs regarding primary nutrients were assessed for balance predictions using NUTMON toolbox. The NUTMON toolbox includes five inflows, viz., mineral fertilizers (IN1), manure (IN2), atmospheric deposition (IN3), biological N fixation (IN4), and sedimentation (IN5), and five outflows, viz., harvested product (OUT1), crop residues (OUT2), leaching (OUT3), gaseous losses (OUT4), and erosion (OUT5). Nutrient flows like fertilizers, manures, crop residues and harvested outputs were monitored and measured during the experiment. Other flows like nitrogen fixation, leaching, and erosion were estimated by means of regression models from the data related to climate and crop parameters. Available NPK content of soils, rice grain, straw, stubbles, weeds and all inputs were analysed and stored in background database. The data were fed into the data processing module of the NUTMON toolbox to arrive at the partial and total balance of N, P and K in the experimental soil. The total balance of N, P and K were found to decline in order of: T3>T7>T8>T6>T5>T2>T4>T10>T9>T1>T11>T12 for N, T3>T8>T6>T10>T2>T5>T4>T9>T1>T11>T12>T7 for P and T3>T2>T5>T8>T9>T10>T4>T11>T1>T12>T7>T6 for K Summarizing the results, integrated nutrient management with FYM and in situ green manuring with daincha recorded higher yield and available nutrients in the soil. The incorporation inorganic fertilizers with FYM, daincha and lime maintain the soil quality index in the long run while, SQI was poor in control, imbalanced nutrition as well as in treatments where only fertilizers were incorporated. The balance sheet of P establishes the need for maintenance dose of P fertilizers in rice-rice cropping system. The negative balance of N and K indicate the need for supplementing the nitrogen pool and the possibility of mining of K on long term intensive cropping, respectively. Further study should be focused on monitoring the soil quality index at regular intervals and analyzing the effect of nutrient management practices on microbial diversity in rhizosphere and phyllosphere.