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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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19835
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Subject: Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry × End date: 1983 × Start date: 1983 × Type: Thesis ×
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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nutritional status of soil and plant in relation to the incidence of chenthal disease of cardamom
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1983) Dileep Kumar, K N; KAU; Alice Abraham
    An investigation was carried out at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, to study the nutritional status of soil and plant in relation to the incidence of chenthal disease in three major cultivars of cardomom viz., Vazhukka, Malabar and Mysore. Soil and plant samples for the study were collected from the cardamom plantations in the High Ranges of Idukki district of Kearala State during March, 1982 (Pre-monsoon period) and September, 1982 (Post-monsoon period)
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Nature of acidity in upland and rice fallows in relation to response of pulse crop to liming
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry,College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1983) Sudharmai Devi, C R; KAU; Aiyer, R S
    Soils over vast areas of uplands and rice lands in Kerala are acidic in nature. High concentrations of Al and Mn often limit the productivity of pulses when grown in these areas. The present investigation was aimed at detecting the toxic factors causing acidity and locating suitable varieties of cowpea and blackgram suited to these soil situations. It was further programmed to find out the optimum levels of lime that would be required to arrive at a low input management programme for pulses. For this purpose a large number of soil samples were analysed. Several pulse varieties were screened in respect of their tolerance and a pot culture study was conducted to assess their productivity, the results of which are summarised and appropriate conclusions drawn. The collected soils were acidic in nature, the factors causing toxicity being high concentration of Al and Mn. The soils require large amount of lime as amendment. Cation exchange capacity of these soils is very low and to some extent contributed by Al and Mn. Screening experiments were conducted to select varieties which are tolerant to Al and Mn toxicity. As a result S-488, a cowpea variety and Velloor, a blackgram variety were selected as tolerant ones. Comparative assessment of the yielding ability of the selected varieties, with the recommended varieties New Era (cowpea) and T9 (Blackgram) revealed that they could yield as much as or even better than the recommended varieties. The recommended varieties require high doses of lime for a substantial yield whereas the selected varieties could give economic yield with practically no liming. The observations on number of pods, grain yield, haulm yield and number of nodules revealed that the two selected varieties could excel the others in these aspects Uptake studies indicated that the increased yield in the case of the selected varieties is mainly due to the enhanced uptake and fixation of N and uptake of P and K. From the results of the study, it was concluded that the cowpea variety S-488 and the blackgram variety Velloor can be cultivated successfully under acid soil conditions. They possess the ability to give economic yields with little or no liming. These results have to be tested in farmers 'fields to evolve a low input management strategy for pulse cultivation in garden lands as a vegetable in kharif season and in the rice fallows in summer season.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of potassium nutrition on the yield and quality of cassava
    (Department of soil science and agricultural chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1983) Gopalakrishnan Nair, P; KAU; Aiyer, R S
    Investigations were carried out as the College of Agriculture, Vellayani to find out the optimum dose and time of application of potassium to conserve in relation to yield and quality. For this purpose a seed culture experiment with nutrient solutions at varying duration of it application and a microplot field experiment with different levels of E were conducted during 1977-80. Before conducting the field experiment, two crops of cassavawere taken in the same plot without applying potassium and thus bringing down the available K to a low level.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Aggregate size distribution and its relationship to physical and chemical properties of some typical soils of Kerala
    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1983) Ushakumary, K; KAU; Leela, K
    The present study was undertaken to evaluate the structural indices of some typical soil groups of Kerala namely, laterite, black, red loam, riverine and coastal alluvium and to relate them to some physico-chemical properties of soils. Soil groups were selected from five extensively occurring series namely, Velappaya, Valiavallampathy, Vellayani, Ponnamattom and Beypore series covering Trichur, Palghat, Trivandrum, Ernakulam and Calicut districts, respectively. Three profiles were chosen from each series and from each profile, samples were collected at four depths viz., 0-15, 15-30, 30-45 and 45-60 cm. The experimental results revealed that the aggregates greater than 0.25 mm were found to be in appreciable amount in all the soils except for few layers in riverine and coastal alluvium. This indicated good structural status of the soils. Black soils have distinctly superior aggregation in comparison to the rest of the soils under investigation. Some of the physico-chemical properties like clay, organic matter, CEC and sesquioxide plays an important role in building soil structure in most of the soil group except riverine alluvium. This is because of the comparatively recent origin of riverine alluvium soils. The texture of the soils varied from clay to loam. The black soils were exclusively clay in texture. Riverine alluvium and coastal alluvium were found to be of clay loam and sandy clay loam in texture, respectively. An increase in finer fraction content with depth was observed. Black soils could retain more water at any given tension and were also superior in available water status. Infiltration rates were high in all soil groups except for black soil and riverine alluvium which were uniformly finer in texture. Except black soils, all other soils were acidic in reaction and have comparatively low CEC. Black soils showed highest value for CEC. Laterite and red soils were richer in sesquioxide content compared to other soil groups. Thus the results clearly indicates that black soils were relatively well aggregated as compared to other soil groups. They were also superior to other soil groups in respect of CEC and available water status, Laterite, red loam and coastal alluvium soils were highly pervious whereas black and riverine alluvium soils relatively less pervious. The former groups of soils were also very poor in respect of their available water status. The rate and stability of aggregation in these soils were more or less of similar type.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Yield prediction in coconut based on foliar N, P and K values
    (Department of Soil science and Agricultural chemistry, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1983) Krishna Kumar, N; KAU; Jose, A I
    A study was undertaken to standardize the foliar diagnostic technique in coconut palm and to work out regression models for predicting the yield based on foliar nutrient contents. Palm were selected from three different zones of Kerala State, namely the Coconut Research Station Balaramapuram, the Agricultural Research Station, Mannuthy. And the regional agricultural research station Pilicode. Leaf samples drawn from the leaf positions 2, 10 and 14 separately from each palm were analysed for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium. Attempts were made to standardize the leaf position, the nutrient status of which will best reflect the yield and to establish the critical levels of the nutrients in the index leaf. Regression models were also worked out to predict the yield based on tissue nutrient contents and the number of leaves retained by the palm. Observations revealed that application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium resulted in an increase in the content of these nutrients in the 2nd, 10th and 14th leaves. The number of leaves retained by the palm was mainly a function of potassium applied. The leaf number was highly correlated with the potassium per cent of the leaf lamina of the three leaf positions the highest correlation of 0.710** was registered for the leaf position 10. The number of leaves retained was also significantly correlated with yield (r = 0.7335**). The optimum number of leaves to be retained for maximum production was worked out to be 46.62. Yield of the palms was significantly correlated with the nitrogen per cent of leaf lamina of 2nd, 10th and 14th leaves, the highest coefficient of partial correlation being registered by the 10th leaf (r= 0.499**). The partial correlation coefficients between yield and the phosphorus per cent of leaf lamina of the three leaf positions were not significant. The coefficient of partial correlation between yield and potassium per cent of leaf lamina of leaf position 2 and 10 were significant, the highest value of 0.432** being recorded by the 10th leaf. On the other hand, the contents of calcium, magnesium and sodium in the leaf lamina showed significant correlation with yield only in the case of the leaf position 14. The optimum contents of nitrogen and potassium in the 10th leaf for maximum yield was 2.9 and 1.8 per cent respectively. Yield prediction models worked out using the percentage of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium, and the leaf number indicated that the model worked out for the 10th leaf had the maximum accuracy of prediction. Models worked out eliminating calcium, magnesium and sodium also confirmed the supremacy of the 10th leaf for the prediction of yield. Thus the leaf lamina of the leaf position 10 can be recommended as the best tissue for foliar diagnosis in coconut. Yield can be predicted with an accuracy of 85.3 per cent by the regression model, Y = -92.924 + 44.682 N – 0.0004 P + 49.397 K + 6.292 L – 6.970 NxP + 30.729 NxK – 2.218 LxN + 17.449 PxK – 0.205 LxK Utilizing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents of the leaf lamina of 10th leaf and the number of leaves retained. Yield can also be predicted with an accuracy of 86.2 per cent based on the following regression model worked out for the leaf position 10. Y = -34.619 + 29.594 N – 33.827 P + 51.279 K + 6.547 L +23.646 N2 – 0.932 NxP + 10.044 NxK – 2.493 LxN +20.294 PxK – 54.768 K2 + 0.378 LxK.