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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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  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Postnatal development of the upper digestive tract in the Japanese quail
    (Department of Anatomy, College of veterinary and animal sciences, Mannuthy, 1995) Maya, S; KAU; Lucy Paily
    The structure and postnatal development of the upper digestive tract of Japanese quails were studied using 72 birds aged from day-old to 60 days for proper understanding of their functional peculiarities. The growth, morphology and histology of the tongue, pharynx, cervical and thoracic parts of oesophagus, crop, proventriculus and gizzard were studied using six birds at each age group. The age groups studied were at three days interval upto 15 days and thereafter at five days interval upto 30 days and then at ten days interval upto 60 days of age. Maximum weight of each part was recorded at 60 days of age. But maximum contribution to body weight by each part occurred within the first week of age. The tongue, pharynx and oesophagus were lined by stratified squamous epithelium, which showed keratinization on the anterior two-third of the ventral surface of the tongue and on the papillae of the tongue and pharynx. Filiform, conical and fungiform papillae were present on the base of the tongue. The rostral lingual glands contained both serous and mucous end pieces, but posterior glands showed only mucous cells. The taste buds were associated with the glandular ducts. The skeleton of the tongue showed signs of ossification from 30th day of age, with the tip of the entoglossal bone remaining cartilaginous even upto 60 days of age. In the pharynx, pharyngeal tonsil and palatine, sphenopterygoid and cricoarytenoid salivary glands were noticed. In addition to mucous and pieces the medial palatine glands exhibited serous and pieces also. Within the choanal slit and laryngeal inlet the squamous epithelium changed into respiratory epithelium. Laryngeal cartilages were cricoids, procricoid and paired arytenoids. The oesophagus was represented by a long cervical and short thoracic parts with a diverticulum, the crop. The epithelium on the top of the longitudinal mucosal folds was higher in the cervical oesophagus. Mucous glands were present throughout the oesophagus and crop but much reduced in the greater curvature of the crop and lymphoid tissue was absent at the region. Muscularis mucosa and submucosa entered into the longitudinal folds. Tunica muscularis consisted of iner circular and outer longitudinal layers of smooth muscles. Tunica adventitia was the outermost layer. A well developed oesophageal tonsil was present at the oesophago- proventricular junction. THh spindle-shaped proventriculars had a mucosa studied with minute nodules. Surface epithelium consisted of cuboidal to columnar cells. Lamina propria contained simple tubular glands. Muscularis mucosa consisted of scattered bundles of longitudinagl smooth muscle fibres. The compound tubular glands in the submucosa were lined by oxyntico peptic cells which had a dentate appearance. Tunica muscularis consisted of inner and oter longitudinal and middle circular layers of smooth muscle fibres. Outermost was the serosa. At the isthmus, the glands and outer longitudinal muscle layer of proventriculus disappeared and the lamina propria contained glands similar to those of gizzard. The biconvex dis-shaped gizzard had a greater dorsoventral diameter than cranio – caudal diameter. Internal to the serous lining was the tendon layer which was thickest at the tendinous aponeurosis and absent at the blind sacs. The lateral muscles consisted of a single layer of smooth muscle where as the blind sacs had inner longitudinal and outer circular muscle layers. Submucosa was dense and the muscularis mucosa absent. The tubular gland in the lamina propria were lined mainly by chief cells, and few basal and intermediate cells.Tall columnar cells which showed supranuclear PAS positive reaction, constituted the surface epithelium. The gizzard lining consisted of arrays of vertical columns, secreted by the tubular glands and a matrix produced by surface cells. The junction of gizzard with duodenum was marked by a constriction of muscularis mucosa forming a fold of the muscularis and tunica propria. Posterior to the fold spatula –shaped duodenal villi and coiled tubular glands with goblet cells were observed.