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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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Author: Abdul, Raziq × Author: KAU × End date: 2014 × Start date: 2014 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Performance evaluation of turf grass species in the humid tropics
    (College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2014) Abdul, Raziq; KAU; Valsalakumari, P K
    The present study entitled “Performance evaluation of turf grass species in the humid tropics” was carried out at the Department of Pomology and Floriculture, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara from January 2012 to August 2013. The objective was to evaluate the performance of turf grass species with respect to growth, establishment rate and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in order to introduce new grass species for the tropical lawns. Ten turf grass species, viz., Cynodon dactylon, Stenotaphrum secundatum, Zoysia japonica, Paspalum notatum, Eragrostis curvula, Cynodon dactylon 419, Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, Agrostis palustris, Dichondra micrantha were selected for the study. The first four species were local and the remaining six were imported from the USA. Three species, viz., Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne and Agrostis palustris did not establish and hence further studies were carried out on the remaining seven. Besides the studies in the open field condition, their tolerance to shade and air pollution were also evaluated. The experiment was laid out in CRD for shade tolerance studies and RBD for open field condition with three replications. Various vegetative and qualitative characters were recorded and data were statistically analysed. The maximum duration for total coverage of the area was recorded by Paspalum notatum (189 days) and the minimum by Eragrostis curvula (100 days). There were significant differences for plant height and shoot length in shade and open field conditions. Leaf length, leaf width, leaf texture, leaf colour and arrangement of unfurled leaves were recorded and were used for categorizing the species. Based on leaf width, plants were categorized into fine, coarse and medium coarse textured. Leaf colour was categorized as light, medium and dark green. According to arrangement of unfurled leaves, they were classified as rolled and folded. Root characters were recorded in terms of number, length and root shoot ratio. Growth habit was recorded as spreading and upright. Response of different turf grass species to mowing was recorded in terms of time taken for first mowing, relative mowing height, weight of biomass removed at first mowing, recuperative ability, frequency of mowing and mowing tolerance. The maximum duration for first mowing was recorded by Dichondra micrantha (174.7 days) and the minimum by Eragrostis curvula (57.7 days). The later showed the highest value (3330.7g) for biomass and the minimum (30.0 g) was by Zoysia japonica. Relative mowing height in open field condition was recorded as low in Cynodon dactylon 419 and Zoysia Japonica, medium for Dichondra micrantha and Cynodon dactylon and high in Paspalum notatum, Eragrostis curvula and Stenotaphrum. Recuperative ability was poor in Dichondra micrantha, Paspalum notatum and Eragrostis curvula and high in Cynodon dactylon 419 and Cynodon dactylon. Mowing frequency was less in Dichondra micrantha, Cynodon dactylon 419, Zoysia japonica and Stenotaphum secundatum. It was more in Paspalum notatum, Eragrostis curvula. Mowing tolerance was low in Dichondra micrantha, Paspalum notatum and Eragrostis curvula whereas it was high in Cynodon dactylon 419, Cynodon dactylon, Zoysia japonica. Response to mowing followed the same pattern under various shade levels also. Air Pollution Tolerance Index of Dichondra micrantha was the highest (24.8) and the lowest value (8.35) was observed for Cynodon dactylon. Turf grass species were categorized into sensitive (value ≤ 14), intermediate (15-19), medium tolerant (20-24) and tolerant (>24). All the species, except Dichondra micrantha, was sensitive to air pollution. Major pests observed were, leaf eating caterpillars (army worm) in Paspalum notatum and Eragrostis curvula and termites in Dichondra micrantha, Zoysia japonica, Cynodon dactylon 419, Eragrostis curvula, and Paspalum notatum. Rats were another problem in turf area. No serious disease was observed except the gray leaf disease, caused by Pyriculari grisea which was found in Stenotaphrum secundatum.Weeds affected the turf growth seriously, both under shade and in open field conditions. The important weeds were Alloteropsis cimicina, Ageratum conyzoides, Lindernia crustacean, Cyperus iria, Cyperus rotandus , Digitaria bicornis, Synedrella nodiflora, Mimosa pudica and Desmodium triflorum. Among the turf grass species evaluated under open field condition Cynodon dactylon 419, Cyndon dactylon, Zoysia japonica, Stenotaphrum secundatum and Paspalum notatum were suitable for lawn under humid tropical condition. Eragrostis curvula, though not suitable as a turf grass, can be grown in pots and also as an edge plant. Among the turf grass species evaluated under various shade levels (0%, 25% and 50%) Dichondra micrantha, Zoysia Japonica and Paspalum notatum performed better under 25 per cent and zero per cent shade levels and Stenotaphrum secundatum at the shade levels tried.