Thumbnail Image

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.

Browse

20201
Reset filters
Author: Adarsh, S S × Author: KAU × Start date: 2020 × Thesis Type: M.Tech. ×
Reset filters

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Determination of subsurface stormflow using tracer method
    (Department of soil and water conservation engineering, Kelappaji college of Agricultural engineering and technology, Tavanur, 2020) Adarsh, S S; KAU; Sathian, K K
    The state of Kerala in India is a typical example of a region facing droughts of varying degrees despite receiving high annual rainfall. This is because a lion share of the precipitation received is going out as runoff without recharging the groundwater. The subsurface stormflow is considered as the fast moving component of subsurface runoff on which very little information is available due to its complex mechanism of movement through subsurface. Hence, this study has been taken up for gathering more knowledge on the phenomenon of subsurface stormflow with the help of monitoring of soil moisture movement and tracer method. For data collection, three experimental setups in two experimental plots have been setup in KCAET campus, Kerala, India. It is a lateritic terrain having sandy loam type of soil and a general slope. Through-flow trenches were constructed for all the three setups and studied the soil moisture variation on the trench face at three depths (0-40 cm, 40-80 cm and 80-120 cm) in order to study the subsurface stormflow through different depths. For the experimental setup 1, simulation of rainfall was done using a butterfly sprinkler as the input. Line application of water was done for the experimental setup 2. Natural rain was taken as the input for the experimental setup 3. The subsurface stormflow through the soil matrix is also studied by the salt tracer experiment for obtaining its velocities. From the study it was found that the subsurface stormflow discharge is greatly affected by the soil dry density and soil suction. The subsurface stormflow discharge was found to have negative correlations with both soil suction and soil dry density. The subsurface stormflow velocities through 0-40 cm, 40-80 cm and 80-120 cm depths obtained from the soil moisture variation studies were 23.74 cm day-1, 36.23 cm day-1 and 17.41 cm day -1 respectively and the same obtained through the tracer studies were 27.27 cm day-1, 30 cm day-1 and 26.67 cm day-1 respectively. It was also concluded that the prevailing subsurface stormflow in the experimental sites is due to matrix flow rather than the preferential flow. The results gave the conclusion that high value of rainfall along with low values of soil dry density and soil suction can induce the subsurface stormflow even in the area having gentle slope (<10 %).