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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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2020 - 20213
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Subject: Soil and Water Engineering × End date: 2021 × Start date: 2020 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Spatial mapping of flood prone areas and risk assessment of Chalakudy river basin using HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS models
    (Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Kelappaji college of Agricultural Engineering and Technology,Tavanur, 2021-10-17) Gudidha Gopi.; Rema, K P.
    Floods are one among the most devastating natural disasters that affects life on the globe. For the planning and design of water resources projects in the preferred area, planners and engineers usually require reliable estimates of flood magnitude and frequency. Kerala state in the Indian sub continent received a catastrophic flood in the year 2018. The present study attempts to model the flood flows and map the flood prone areas of a river basin in Kerala. The Chalakudy river basin, one of the worst-affected river basins due to heavy rains and floods was selected for the present study. This is the fifth largest river in Kerala. The basin is predominant with agricultural land and falls under the humid tropical zone, where water resources planning and management is necessary for irrigation scheduling, flood control and design of various engineering structures. In order to address the above issues, an attempt was made to calibrate and validate HEC-HMS model for simulating the flood hydrograph for the Chalakudy river basin. Flood frequency analysis was carried out to estimate the flood peak values using frequency distributions in HEC-SSP software. The results were compared with the estimated flood peak values for different return periods obtained from the HEC-HMS model. Hydraulic routing was done in HEC-RAS model and the flood inundation maps were prepared. The cadastral level risk areas were identified based on water surface profiles of velocity and depth of flood extent and its characteristics. Food vulnerability maps based on land use patterns were developed in order to identify the severely affected land uses. The HEC-HMS model for the basin was developed using SCS-UH, SCSCN, Recession and Muskingum methods to find out the loss rate, runoff transformation and routing of flood respectively. Statistical performance indices of the model, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and Coefficient of correlation (R²) values were obtained above 0.7, Error in Peak Flow (%) and Error in Volume (%) were figured below 20% and Root Mean Square Error-Standard Deviation Ratio (RSR) was acquired as 0.5 and below. These values indicated that HEC-HMS model simulation performed well in both calibration and validation. The frequency discharge values calculated using Log Pearson type-III distribution indicated a high degree of similarity to the HEC-HMS generated values with an R 2 value of 0.862. The results of the Log Normal and Gumbel distributions are significantly lower than those of the HEC-HMS model values. The assessment of the vulnerability due to the flooding was made with regard to the land use pattern and cadastral level risk map of Chalakudy river basin was developed for different return periods. Kadukutty Panchayat located in the downstream of Chalakudy river basin was found to be the maximum flood inundated area for 10 year return period ( 557 ha) and for 200 year return period (681 ha). Manjapra Panchayat located in upstream was found to be the least flood inundated area for 10 year return period (6 ha) and for 200 year return period (9 ha). Annamanada, Kadukutty, Melur and Pariyaram panchayats were under high risk areas, with depths greater than 20 m. Ayyampuzha, Chalakudy, Mala, Kuzhur, Parakkadavu and Puthenvelikara panchayats were under medium risk areas with depths varying from 10 to 20 m. Athirappilly, Manjapra and Karukutty panchayats were under low risk areas with depths less than 10 m. The flood vulnerability maps were generated by intersecting the flood plain land use map with the flooded area polygons. Paddy land near to the river banks was found to be the highest inundated by different return period floods, followed by forest and other vegetation, barren land and other land use classes
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Assessment of greenhouse cultivation problems in Kerala
    (Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2021) Deepthi S, Nair; KAU; Jinu, A
    Greenhouses are framed or inflated structure covered with transparent or translucent material large enough to grow crops under partial or fully controlled environmental conditions to get optimum growth and productivity. Greenhouse have many advantages and some limitations also. Due to this farmer are abandoning this cultivation method citing crop failures after the initial phase. Thus, a survey was conducted to explore the reasons of failures of greenhouse farmers in Kerala covering all fourteen districts. Major problem faced by farmers was crop failure due to ageing of cladding material. So that fungal growth and dust deposit over the cladding material reduce the light transmission to the greenhouse which affect its microclimate and growth and yield parameters. To prove this, a field experiment was conducted during the period from April to June 2021 in the instructional farm of KCAET, Tavanur, Kerala. CO-1(Amaranthus green variety) was planted inside both cleaned greenhouse and uncleaned greenhouse (greenhouse without cleaned cladding material) and compared the microclimate and performance of Amaranthus in both conditions. Mean monthly values of light intensity and temperature were higher inside the cleaned greenhouse than the uncleaned one while relative humidity was higher inside the old greenhouse. Thus, crop growth parameters like plant height, number of leaves, number of branches and average yield per plant were higher inside the cleaned greenhouse than the old one whereas the inter nodal length of the plant was higher inside the old greenhouse. From this experiment, it was clear that the aging of cladding material has much influence on crop performance under the greenhouse. Other major problems faced by farmers were a decrease in soil fertility, Fungal/Insect attack inside the greenhouse, high maintenance cost 101 and structural problems of greenhouse, no demand and marketing facility of greenhouse products, etc. From the statistical analysis of survey details, it was clear that farmers are not satisfied with the greenhouse.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of Bakkikayam regulator on groundwater using geophysical techniques and visual modflow
    (Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 2020) Smegha, N C; Sajeena, S
    A study on ‘Effect of Bakkikayam Regulator on groundwater using Geophysical Techniques and Visual MODFLOW’ was conducted at the ayacut areas of Bakkikayam regulaor, situated across the Kadalundi River at Pandikasala, Vengara, Malappuram district. The objectives of the research work were to study the aquifer characteristics of the area using earth resistivity studies, to assess the groundwater flow variation due to the presence of Bakkikayam Regulator, to develop ground water resource map of the study area using Visual MODFLOW and to identify the potential ground water zones of the study area. In order to analyze the aquifer characteristics of the study area, Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) survey was carried out using Signal Stacking Resistivity Meter (MODEL-SSR-MP-ATS at 18 locations and were interpreted using IPI2WIN software. The sounding curve obtained from the interpretation of resistivity studies revealed that most part of the study area showed H and HK type curve indicating the presence of good to moderate quality ground water. From the VES studies it could be concluded that, top soil of the study area is either laterite soil or hydromorphic soil of thickness 0.75 to 4 m, followed by laterites with varying hardness to a depth of 4 m to 17 m. Lithomargic clay of thickness less than 2 m is seen below the laterites in some places. These layers are overlying weathered rock of 2 to 14 m thickness followed by hard rock with or without fractures. Major aquifer formations in the study area are identified as laterite, clay and weathered rock. Effect of bakkikayam regulator on ground water variation was analyzed based on pre and post monsoon water table data. The ground water level during pre and post monsoon from dug wells located in upstream and downstream side of the Bakkikayam regulator were observed and the difference between pre and post monsoon water table (water table fluctuations) were noted .It was observed that the water table fluctuation in the wells located in downstream side ranged from 5.41 to 5.62 m. Visual MODFLOW software version 2.8.1 was used for the groundwater modeling of the study area. A base map was prepared and imported in to the model as bmp format. The conceptual model for the study area was developed using base map, well logs and the data collected by conducting geophysical survey of the study area and the study area was discretized by dividing into 50 rows and 50 columns with a grid spacing of 530 m x 520 m. By comparing the water table contour map obtained from the validated model before and after the implementation of Bakkikayam Regulator, it could be seen that the light blue color is changed to green color, indicating that there was a decline of 3 to 4 m water table in the downstream side of the regulator. The validated model was used to predict the water table contour map of the study area for the next five years by increasing the recharge rate 10, 20 and 30 percent of the recharge rate of the validated period (2019). An increase in water table of 2m was observed during the predicted period due to 20% increase of ground water recharge rate. Beyond that there was no significant change in water table and remained more or less constant. This is due to the reason that topography of the downstream area of the Bakkikayam regulator especially parts of Nannambra and Tirurangadi Panchayaths comes under low land. The ground water flow from this area is towards the river and from where water drains into Arabian Sea. This necessitates some obstructions to check the flow of river or any other water conservation measures at downstream side. From the velocity vector map obtained using the Visual MODFLOW model, it was observed that the flow direction and magnitude were maximum in two water bodies locally named ‘Morya Kappu’ and ‘Venchali Kappu’, which can be identified as high ground water potential area. At present these water bodies and their drainage channels of around 10,000 m are filled with sediment deposits. Hence it is recommended that the deepening of two water bodies upto 3 m and their drainage channels upto 1.6 m, is essential to solve the problems encountered for paddy cultivation in Nannambra Panchayath to a large extent.