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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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20191
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Subject: Vegetable Science × Author: Anitta Judy, Kurian × End date: 2020 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterization and evaluation of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.) accessions for yield and quality
    (Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture,Vellanikkara, 2019) Anitta Judy, Kurian; KAU; Anitha, P
    Drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.), belonging to the family Moringaceae is one of the most useful tree with a variety of potential uses. Large variability exists in drumstick since the crop is cross pollinated and naturalized in many areas. The study entitled “Characterization and evaluation of drumstick (Moringa oleifera Lam.) accessions for yield and quality’’ was conducted during January to December 2018. Twenty five accessions were catalogued based on IPGRI minimal descriptors (2013). Data on morphological, quantitative and biochemical characters were recorded for one calendar year (2018) for further analysis. Tree shape varied from upright to spreading. Grey coloured barks were recorded in majority of accessions except in VKMo 3, VKMo 4 and VKMo 8 which had white bark colour. All accessions produced pale green coloured young shoots with purple tinge. Foliage density at flowering period varied from sparse, medium to dense. Leaflet shape varied from ovate, oblong to elliptical and leaf apex from obtuse to acute. Both secondary and tertiary flowering branchlets were observed. Flowers produced in all the accessions had triangular shaped, polysepalous nature, pale green coloured calyx; corolla having triangular shape, polypetalous nature and cream colour. Fresh fruit pulp colour was white in all accessions. Taste of fresh fruit pulp was palatable in all flowering types except VKMo 3, VKMo 6, VKMo 11, VKMo 13 and VKMo 29, which were bitter in taste. Out of twenty five accessions, three were leafy types viz. VKMo 32, VKMo 35 and VKMo 38. Two peaks of flowering viz. January- April and September- November were observed in VKMo 2, VKMo 7, VKMo 12, VKMo 15, VKMo 16 and VKMo 17. Accession VKMo 3 recorded highest tree height (7.68 m) and trunk girth (65.8 cm). Accession VKMo 10 recorded highest fruit length (89.50 cm), fruit girth (6.72 cm) and number of ridges/fruit (10.50). Highest fruit weight was recorded in VKMo 9 (160.00 g). Accession VKMo 6 recorded highest number of seeds per fruit (21.20). Highest number of fruits/tree was recorded in VKMo 2 (22.21) and total fruit yield/tree in VKMo 3 (1775.54 g/tree). Estimation of biochemical characters in leaves, flowers and fruits revealed that leaves are rich sources of these biochemical characters followed by flowers and fruits, except for iron. Highest iron content was recorded in flowers, followed by leaves and fruits. Significant, positive correlation was observed between fruit yield per tree and fruit weight (0.613); fruit yield per tree and number of fruits per tree (0.896). Significant positive correlation was recorded between protein and beta-carotene (0.424); beta-carotene and phenol (0.462); protein and phenol (0.466). Significant, positive correlation was observed for beta-carotene content with rainfall (0.640) and number of rainy days (0.603). Calcium content showed a significant, positive correlation with mean temperature (0.585). Trunk girth (0.0266), fruit length (0.029), tree height (0.074), number of seeds per fruit (0.195), fruit weight (0.639) and number of fruits per tree (0.977) exhibited direct positive effect on yield. Principal component analysis for the quantitative characters revealed that, first three principal components accounted for 88.1 per cent of the total variation and was contributed by number of seeds per fruit, fruit girth, trunk girth and tree height. Clustering of the accessions resulted in formation of five clusters. Principal component analysis on biochemical characters revealed that, first two principal components accounted for 64 per cent variance and was contributed by iron, calcium, protein and vitamin C. Clustering of the accessions resulted in formation of six clusters. Overall ranking of drumstick accessions for important quantitative and biochemical characters revealed that the performance of accession VKMo 7 (87) was superior followed by accession VKMo 9 (91). Organoleptic evaluation revealed that accession VKMo 29 ranked superior for overall acceptability. Incidence of leaf eating caterpillar (Noorda blitealis) on drumstick accessions showed that seven accessions viz. VKMo 5, VKMo 11, VKMo 17, VKMo 30, VKMo 35, VKMo 36 and VKMo 38 possess tolerance to leaf eating caterpillar.