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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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20221
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Subject: Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry × Author: Unnikrishnan, R × End date: 2022 × Start date: 2022 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: Ph.D ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Sulphur dynamics in major rice-growing soils of Kerala
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2022) Unnikrishnan, R; KAU; Jayasree Sankar, S
    Sulphur has been recognized as an essential nutrient to plants and it is ranked as fourth among major plant nutrients after nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Most of the soils in Kerala are rich in total S and the maximum amount of sulphates has been reported in Kari and Pokkali soils. Representative soil samples were collected from seven different rice growing tracts falling under different agro-ecological units (AEU) of Kerala for the study entitled Sulphur dynamics in major rice-growing soils of Kerala. Five samples each were collected from various locations pertaining to a particular soil type for initial characterisation. In addition three soil and plant samples were also collected from each soil type at active tillering and harvest stage of rice crop. The study aims at understanding sulphur dynamics in major rice soils of Kerala and its relationship with that of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. It also envisages at unfolding the antagonism/ synergism between sulphur and other nutrients, if any. Sixteen out of 35 samples belonged to the category of strongly acidic to moderately acidic. It can be concluded from characterisation study that the sandy soils of Onattukara was low in terms of fertility wherein Pokkali soils, Kole land and Kari soils of Kuttanad were high with respect to soil fertility. None of the soils were found deficient in available sulphur with Pokkali soils being the remarkably highest. The low land brown hydromorphic laterite and Onattukara sandy soils had relatively lower sulphur content. The Kari soils accounted for highest microbial biomass carbon and aryl sulphatase activity. The estimated soil pH was slightly elevated at active tillering and harvest stage. The sulphur exhibited an antagonistic relationship with phosphorous, potassium as well as manganese Fractionation of S was conducted at three stages to find out the dominant different forms of sulphur. The Pokkali soils and Onattukara sandy soils had the highest as well as lowest value for all the sulphur fractions before cropping. The Kari soil concluded the highest total organic sulphur at active tillering and harvest stage. All the sulphur fractions were positively influenced by microbial biomass carbon and aryl sulphatase activity. An identifiable positive relation existed between available nitrogen and total organic sulphur as well. The C:S ratio was high in Laterite soil and lowest in Pokkali soil at all the three stages. The Onattukara sandy soil and Laterite soil accounted for the highest N:S ratio wherein Kari soil and Pokkali soil had the lowest ratio. The decreased C:S and N:S ratio contributed to the raised plant available sulphur in soil. Sulphur adsorption experiment was conducted at 25 ℃ as well as 40℃ and quantity-intensity relations were carried out based on data. While The samples from Pokkali and Kari soil exhibited desorption of sulphur at both the temperatures (25 ℃ and 40 ℃) studied, it was found to get adsorbed in the case of Laterite soil and Onattukara sandy soils at both 25 ℃ and 40 ℃.