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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: Aswathy, Dev × Start date: 2013 × Type: Thesis × Thesis Type: M.Sc ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Characterisation and evaluation of somaclones in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2013) Aswathy, Dev; KAU; Alice, Kurian
    The present study entitled “ Characterization and evaluation of somaclones in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)” was taken up at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, during 2011-13 to characterize and evaluate twenty five somaclones derived through indirect methods of regeneration along with three parent cultivars (Z-0-78, Z-0-86 and Himachal Pradesh) and two check varieties (Karthika and Varada). The experiment was laid out in an RBD design with 30 treatments in two replications. Wide variability was observed among somaclones for 26 quantitative and four qualitative characters. Extent of variation was more in somaclones when compared to check varieties rather than parent cultivars. Somaclones exhibited superiority over parent cultivars in morphological characters such as leaf area, number of leaves, number of shoots, and girth of pseudostem. Cent per cent of somaclones showed increase over check varieties in plant height, leaf length, leaf width and leaf area. Somaclones derived from Himachal Pradesh registered maximum increase in morphological characters. Among rhizome characters, number of quaternary fingers recorded maximum increase followed by internodal length of primary fingers and number of tertiary fingers in the somaclones. Cent per cent of somaclones showed increase over parent cultivars in length and inter-nodal length of primary fingers while cent per cent showed increase over check varieties for girth of rhizome. Somaclones derived from Z-0-86 recorded superiority in rhizome characters over those derived from Himachal Pradesh and Z-0-78. Ninety two per cent of somaclones showed higher yield over parent cultivars while eighty four per cent of somaclones showed higher rhizome yield over check varieties. Somaclones derived from Z-0-86 alone recorded higher driage and dry yield was also seen to be maximum. Somaclones in general recorded low crude fibre content registering its suitability for fresh ginger and value added products. Volatile oil content was found higher in somaclones, seventy per cent over parent cultivars and seventy four per cent over check varieties. Higher recovery of volatile oil and oil yield was noticed in somaclones of Z-0-86. Oleoresin recovery was high in somaclones derived from HP while oleoresin yield was found high in somaclones derived from Z-0-86. DUS characterization of somaclones based on 17 characters as per PPV & FR Act (2001) was done and this will be useful for plant variety protection. Assessment of variability in somaclones based on 30 characters indicated that number of quaternary fingers had the highest coefficient of variation followed by number of tertiary and primary fingers, number of shoots and number of leaves. Significant and positive correlation with yield was observed for fifteen characters out of the 30 characters studied. GCV was found very near to PCV for 13 characters indicating high effect of genotype on phenotypic expression. Visual characters such as leaf width and length, girth of pseudostem, number of primaries, length, thickness, internodal length of primary and secondary rhizomes and girth of rhizomes having high positive correlation with yield and having high heritability appear to be good selection indices in ginger. Clustering of 30 genotypes based on 26 qualitative characters and four qualitative characters resulted in 13 and five clusters respectively. The accessions belonging to a quantitative cluster fell in different clusters during qualitative clustering suggesting that the somaclones are more divergent in quality attributes. Screening of somaclones for reaction to rhizome rot and bacterial wilt through artificial inoculation could locate 13 somaclones tolerant to rhizome rot and six somaclones tolerant to bacterial wilt which was substantiated by sick plot screening and natural screening. Field tolerance to shoot borer and leaf spot incidence was not observed in the somaclones. Considering yield, quality and reaction to pests and diseases, six promising somaclones were selected (SE 86 81, SE 86 142, SE 86 40, SE 86 131, C 86 139 and C 86 124). The selected somaclones registered a yield increase of 28-85 per cent compared to released varieties and parent cultivars. The somaclone SE 86 40 is promising for high essential oil and oleoresin yield as well. The somaclones are especially suitable as fresh ginger and for value added products. The promising somaclones selected needs to be assessed over seasons and locations to study the stability under different environment. Metabolite profiling of the somaclones enables identification of novel chemotypes. Screening of the somaclones for value added products, taking advantage of low fibre profile of the rhizomes should take precedence as this will diversify the end product utilization and safe guard farmers against price crash of the only one primary product, dry rhizomes.