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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: Veterinary Microbiology ร— Author: Arun, A ร— End date: 2008 ร— Start date: 2000 ร— Type: Thesis ร—
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Role of newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis and egg drop syndrome-76 viruses in low egg production of chicken in Kerala
    (Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2004) Arun, A; KAU; Mini, M
    The present study has been undertaken to assess the prevalence of Newcastle disease (ND), infectious bronchitis (IB) and egg drop syndrome-76 (EDS-76) viruses in apparently healthy layer chicken in Kerala by seroprevalence studies and virus isolation trials and to associate these viruses with low egg production. Sera, cloacal and tracheal swab samples were collected from two to five per cent of total population of a farm to carry out the study. Samples were collected from Regional Poultry Farms (RPF) of Kerala, University Poultry Farm, Mannuthy and also from birds brought to the department of microbiology for disease investigation. To assess the production performance of the layers data pertaining to the egg production were collected, for the past one to five years depending upon the availability. The haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test was used to study the seroprevalence of ND. Out of 615 samples tested, 548 samples were found to be positive. Newcastle disease vaccination was carried out regularly in all the organized farms and the titre is to be considered as an effect of vaccination. Seven virus isolates were recovered from cloacal swab samples and was identified as NDV by HI test. The isolates were subjected to conventional characterization by mean death time, intracerebral pathogenicity index, intravenous pathogenicity index, and stability of haemagglutinins at 56ยบ C, agglutination of mammalian erythrocytes, and adsorption of haemagglutinins by chick embryo brain cells. Results of these tests identified all the seven isolates as lentogenic. The isolates produced mild cytopathic effects (CPE) like syncytia, pyknosis of nuclei and vacuolation of nuclei in chick embryo fibroblast (CEF) monolayer culture. Immunofluorescence test (IFT) was carried out in CEF monolayer using NDV antiserum and specific fluorescence was noticed in the cytoplasm. All the isolates were subjected to reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for amplifying 254 bp fusion protein cleavage site (FPCS) sequence gene. Sera samples were tested by ELISA for detecting IB antibodies due to the erratic results of HI test. Out of 418 sera samples screened, 311 (74.40 per cent) samples were found to be positive for IB. Since IB vaccination was not followed in any of the farms in Kerala, the antibodies might be due to past/subclinical infection. One IBV isolate was recovered from tissue samples of ailing broiler bird and was identified by AGID test. The ciliostatic effect of IBV was studied in tracheal organ culture (TOC) and the virus was identified in TOC by IFT and immunoperoxidase test (IPT). The IB virus was confirmed by RT-PCR using primers for a 464 bp nucleotide sequence of S1gene. The antibodies against EDS-76 virus were identified by HI test. Out of 615 chicken sera samples tested, 58 (9.43 per cent) were found to be positive. None of the swab and tissue samples yielded EDS-76 virus. By correlating the production performance of chicken with seroprevalence and isolation trials ND, IB and EDS-76 viruses, this study revealed the possible involvement of IB and EDS-76 viruses in low egg production of chicken in Kerala, because the birds are well protected against ND by vaccination.