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

20202
Reset filters
Subject: Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry × Author: KAU × Author: Neha, Unni × End date: 2020 × Start date: 2012 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Assessment of soil quality in the post floods scenario of AEU 5 and AEU 9 of Ernakulam district of Kerala and Mapping using GIS Techniques
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2020) Neha, Unni; KAU; Sreelatha, A K
    Kerala state witnessed large scale devastating flood in 2018 due to excess rainfall, causing significant damage to agricultural sector and human life. One of the most affected districts was Ernakulam, especially AEU 5 and AEU 9. The AEU 5 - Pokkali lands, represent the lowlands, often below sea level, in coastal areas of Ernakulam district and extending to parts of Thrissur and Alappuzha districts. The soils are hydromorphic, often underlain by potential acid-sulphate sediments with unique hydrological conditions. Seawater inundation is not controlled and hence soils are acid-saline. The AEU 9 - south central laterites represent midland laterite terrain with typical laterite soils. The study aimed at the assessment of soil quality in the post flood scenario of AEU 5 and AEU 9 in Ernakulam district and to develop maps on soil characters and quality using GIS techniques and to workout soil quality index (SQI). For this purpose 100 geo-referenced soil samples were collected from different panchayats of AEU 5 and AEU 9 in Ernakulam district and were characterized for physical, chemical and biological properties. The Pokkali soils recorded low bulk density whereas porosity, water holding capacity and soil moisture were found high. Available N content was medium to high, available phosphorus and potassium was high in the soil. Among the secondary nutrients, available Ca and S were found sufficient for majority of the samples, while a deficiency of available Mg was noticed in Pokkali soils. In AEU 9, the soil pH varied from 5.01 to 7.69 and all the soils had an electrical conductivity less than 1.0 dS m-1. Organic carbon was noticed low to medium in the soils. Available N content was medium for 87 per cent of the samples, whereas all the samples were high in available P content. Available K was recorded low to medium values in AEU 9. Soil quality index was calculated using principal component analysis (PCA). There are three main steps involved in the soil quality index method which includes (i) selection of a minimum data set (MDS) of indicators (ii) formation of the MDS indicators and scoring of each indicators (iii) computation of index of soil quality. For developing minimum data set, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed for 23 soil attributes and resulted in 7 PCs. The indicators with high loading factors in each PCs were selected to develop minimum data set (MDS). MDS constituted 8 attributes for AEU 5 and 9 attributes for AEU 9 respectively. After the development of MDS, the soil indicators were converted to unit-less scores ranging from 0 to 1 using non-linear scoring function methods. Three types of scoring curves were used: i) more is better, ii) less is better, iii) optimum curve. Soil quality index ranged from 0.42 in Nayarambalam to 0.76 in Vadakkekkara in AEU 5, and 0.39 in Edathala to 0.92 in Aluva in AEU 9. The highest RSQI value was recorded in Aluva (69.7%) and the lowest in Edathala (29.55%) under AEU 9. In AEU 5 the highest RSQI was obtained in Vadakkekkara (71.58%) and the lowest in Nayarambalam (37.06%). Nutrient indices of flood affected areas in AEU 9 were low with respect to organic carbon and available potassium, medium with respect to available nitrogen and high with respect to available phosphorus. Nutrient index was high for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic carbon in AEU 5. Significant positive correlations were observed between organic carbon and available nitrogen, organic carbon and soil moisture content. Negative correlation existed between bulk density and porosity, organic carbon and bulk density in both AEUs. The present study revealed that soil fertility and productivity have been disturbed after the floods. In AEU 9 available potassium was found decreased after the flood. Prior to flood Kottuvally, Elamkunnapuzha, Edavanakkad and Kuzhuppilly panchayats in AEU 5 were medium in relative soil quality index (Joseph, 2014) and post flood assessment showed that these panchayats shifted to poor relative soil quality index.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Assessment of soil quality in the post floods scenario of AEU 5 and AEU 9 of Ernakulam district of Kerala and Mapping using GIS Techniques
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2020) Neha, Unni; KAU; Sreelatha, A K
    Kerala state witnessed large scale devastating flood in 2018 due to excess rainfall, causing significant damage to agricultural sector and human life. One of the most affected districts was Ernakulam, especially AEU 5 and AEU 9. The AEU 5 - Pokkali lands, represent the lowlands, often below sea level, in coastal areas of Ernakulam district and extending to parts of Thrissur and Alappuzha districts. The soils are hydromorphic, often underlain by potential acid-sulphate sediments with unique hydrological conditions. Seawater inundation is not controlled and hence soils are acid-saline. The AEU 9 - south central laterites represent midland laterite terrain with typical laterite soils. The study aimed at the assessment of soil quality in the post flood scenario of AEU 5 and AEU 9 in Ernakulam district and to develop maps on soil characters and quality using GIS techniques and to workout soil quality index (SQI). For this purpose 100 geo-referenced soil samples were collected from different panchayats of AEU 5 and AEU 9 in Ernakulam district and were characterized for physical, chemical and biological properties. The Pokkali soils recorded low bulk density whereas porosity, water holding capacity and soil moisture were found high. Available N content was medium to high, available phosphorus and potassium was high in the soil. Among the secondary nutrients, available Ca and S were found sufficient for majority of the samples, while a deficiency of available Mg was noticed in Pokkali soils. In AEU 9, the soil pH varied from 5.01 to 7.69 and all the soils had an electrical conductivity less than 1.0 dS m-1. Organic carbon was noticed low to medium in the soils. Available N content was medium for 87 per cent of the samples, whereas all the samples were high in available P content. Available K was recorded low to medium values in AEU 9. Soil quality index was calculated using principal component analysis (PCA). There are three main steps involved in the soil quality index method which includes (i) selection of a minimum data set (MDS) of indicators (ii) formation of the MDS indicators and scoring of each indicators (iii) computation of index of soil quality. For developing minimum data set, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed for 23 soil attributes and resulted in 7 PCs. The indicators with high loading factors in each PCs were selected to develop minimum data set (MDS). MDS constituted 8 attributes for AEU 5 and 9 attributes for AEU 9 respectively. After the development of MDS, the soil indicators were converted to unit-less scores ranging from 0 to 1 using non-linear scoring function methods. Three types of scoring curves were used: i) more is better, ii) less is better, iii) optimum curve. Soil quality index ranged from 0.42 in Nayarambalam to 0.76 in Vadakkekkara in AEU 5, and 0.39 in Edathala to 0.92 in Aluva in AEU 9. The highest RSQI value was recorded in Aluva (69.7%) and the lowest in Edathala (29.55%) under AEU 9. In AEU 5 the highest RSQI was obtained in Vadakkekkara (71.58%) and the lowest in Nayarambalam (37.06%). Nutrient indices of flood affected areas in AEU 9 were low with respect to organic carbon and available potassium, medium with respect to available nitrogen and high with respect to available phosphorus. Nutrient index was high for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic carbon in AEU 5. Significant positive correlations were observed between organic carbon and available nitrogen, organic carbon and soil moisture content. Negative correlation existed between bulk density and porosity, organic carbon and bulk density in both AEUs. The present study revealed that soil fertility and productivity have been disturbed after the floods. In AEU 9 available potassium was found decreased after the flood. Prior to flood Kottuvally, Elamkunnapuzha, Edavanakkad and Kuzhuppilly panchayats in AEU 5 were medium in relative soil quality index (Joseph, 2014) and post flood assessment showed that these panchayats shifted to poor relative soil quality index.