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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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Subject: Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry × Author: Durga Devi, K M × Author: KAU × End date: 1987 × Start date: 1980 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of available phosphorus and potassium in soil using a common extractant
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1986) Durga Devi, K M; KAU; Jose, A I
    A laboratory evaluation and an uptake study using Neubauer seedling technique was carried out for evolving a single extractment suitable for extracting both available P and available K, so as to simplify the process of extracting these available plant nutrients in soil testing works. Eighty seven soil samples from different parts of the State were used to evaluate the performance of the selected number of extractants based on a 3 step evaluation i.e., (i) an initial study consisting one soil, 18 extractants at a single soil solution ratio (1:10) and two equilibration periods (30 and 60 min); (ii) a preliminary screening consisting of 9 soils, 15 extractants at a single soil solution ratio (1:10) and 5 equilibration periods (5, 10, 15, 30 and 60 min). An uptake study was also conducted using Neubauer seedling technique and correlation coefficients were worked out between the amount of P extracted by the various extractants and the P and K uptake by rice; (iii) a final selection of the common extractant consisting of 10 extractants with suitable equilibration periods, at 1:10 soil solution ratio and 87 soils. In combination of NH4 F and DTPA, increasing concentration of NH4 F retarded the extraction of both P and K and they extracted much smaller quantities of P and K as compared to that of Bray No.1 and neutral normal NH4 OAC. Use of ammonium acetate along with Bray No.1 inhibited the release of P drastically. Mathew’s triacid extractant viz., 0.06 N H2 SO4 + 0.06 N HCL + 0.05 N oxalic acid extracted relatively large amounts of P and K. The pattern of P and K release when examined together as a function of period of equilibration found that the equilibration period for different extractants was varying. The suitable equilibration period for 0.1 M NH4F + 0.001 M DTPA, 0.1 M NH4F + 0.003 M DTPA, 0.5 M NH4F + 0.005 M DTPA, 0.05 M NH4F + 0.05 M acetic acid, and Dray No. 1 is 5 min. for 0.3 M NH4F + 0.001 M DTPA combination and Bray No.1 + 0.005 M DTPA an equilibration period of 10 min is found to be the optimum. An equilibration period of 30 min is suitable for Mathew’s triaced extractant, Olsen’s extractant and neutral normal ammonium acetate. Since the initial and preliminary studies established the suitability of Bray No.1 for available P and the neutral normal ammonium acetate for available K and because the coefficient of correlation between the amount of K extracted by the extractants and the K uptake by rice were highly significant at all the equilibration periods the final selection of the common extractant was based on the correlation of the P and K values of the selected extractants with that of Bray No. 1 P and neutral normal ammonium acetate extractable K. The correlation coefficients with Bray No.1 P established by the various extractants have shown the following decreasing order of efficiency. 0.5 M NH4F + 0.005 M DTPA > 0.05 M NH4F + 0.05 M acetic acid > NH4OAC > Olsen > Mathew’s triacid > Bry No.1 + 0.005 M DTPA > 0.3 M NH4F + 0.001 M DTPA > 0.1 M NH4F + 0.001 M DTPA > 0.1 M nH4F + 0.003 M DTPA. All the extractants were not significantly and positively correlated with NH4 OAC (std) K. The three extractants viz., Mathew’s triacid, 0.1 M NH4F + 0.001 M DTPA and Olsen’s extractant have given significant positive relationship with NH4 OAC (std) K. Highest correlation was obtained with Mathew’s triacid followed by 0.1 M NH4F + 0.001 M DTPA and Olsen’s extractant. Thus it is confirmed that Mathew’s triacid extractant is the best common extractant for available P and available K. No analytical difficulty in the determination both P and K was observed while using this extractant. Inter-correlations worked out between the various soil properties have cleared the following facts. Mathew’s triacid P and Bray No.1 P were significantly and positively correlated with total P and negatively correlated with P fixing capacity. NH4 OAC (std) K and Mathew’s triacid K gave significant positive correlation with total K as well as CEC. Mathew’s triacid extractant viz., 0.06 N H2SO4 + 0.06 N HCL + 0.05 N oxalic acid with a soil solution ratio of 1:10 and an equilibration period of 30 min is recommended as a commom extractant for available P and available K by the present study, since it saves considerable time and materials in soil testing.