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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: Statistics × Author: Hariharan, V × End date: 2003 × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Optium plot size for field experiments on brinjal
    (Department of Statistics, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1981) Hariharan, V; KAU; George, K C
    A uniformity trial in brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) was conducted at the Main Campus of the Kerala Agricultural University, Vellanikkara during the third crop season, 1980. Observations on yield, number of fruits, primary branches and height of each plant was recorded at time of harvest in small units each of size 1.08m2 (2rows x 2 plants at 60 x 45 cm spacing). The variability of each plot size and shape was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation. It was observed that an increase in the plot size in either direction decreased the CV. But the decrease was more rapid along N-S direction. Long and narrow plots yielded lower CV than approximately square plots. The observed relation between plot size and variance was in conformity with the Fairfield Smith’s variance law. At larger plot sizes, the regression line showed a tendency to curve down although negligible. The optimum plot size observed through Smith’s method and maximum curvature method was almost the same. From the above considerations, a plot size of 8.64 m2 (9.6m x 0.9m) was found to be most advisable for conducting most of the field experiments in brinjal. The efficiency of the plot decreased as the size of the plot was increased. There is a general decrease of block efficiency with increasing block size. More compact blocks of the same size show a higher efficiency. Blocks laid out perpendicular to the direction of fertility gradient removed largest variation. The number of replications and total area of land required to give 5% SE of the mean were calculated for the same number of plots per block smaller plots require more replication but less total area than larger plots. But increasing the number of replication rather than plot size was found more advantageous for a fixed experimental area. The fertility contour map of the field revealed that the land is not very homogeneous as far as the fertility pattern is concerned. By assuming arbitrary values of the cost proportional to the number of replications and the cost proportional to the total area per treatment, the optimum plot size for field experiments in brinjal was computed using a linear cost function.