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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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1992 - 19953
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Author: Jose, A I × Author: Prema, D × Start date: 1990 ×
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    Effect of potassium chloride and sodium chloride on the performance of coconut in a laterite soil
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1992) Prema, D; Jose, A I; Narayanan Nambiar, P K; KAU
    A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of Nad on the performance of young coconut palms grown in a laterite soil at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pilicode. The treatments were the substitution of K2O (applied as KC1) by Na2O (applied as Nad) to the extent of 100, 75, 50, 25 and 0 per cent. The palms receiving 50 per cent substitution of toO by Na2O retained maximum number of functioning leaves. The treatments differed significantly in their influence on nutrient uptake of the palms in the case of K, Na and Cl. Palms receiving higher amount of K or Na retained higher amount of these elements. Palms receiving neither KG nor Nad registered significantly lower uptake of Cl than palms receiving other treatments. The available K and available Na increased with increased application of K and Na respectively while the other characteristics of the soil were not affected.
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    Magnesium status of soils
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1994) Prema, D; Jose, A I; KAU
    The magnesium status of the soils of Kerala was studied. In general, they were deficient in total Mg reserves (61 per cent of the soils studied). Altogether, 17 per cent of the soils were deficient in available Mg and 25 per cent deficient in exchangeable Mg. Black soils were rather rich in total Mg, available Mg and exchangeable Mg. The most deficient were the sandy loam soils of coastal alluvium. The laterite group was in between. The inter-relati onships among total, available and exchangeable Mg were found to be significant and positive. Exchangeable Mg correlated positively with other exchangeable cations. About 24 per cent of the total Mg reserve in the soils under study is considered available and 11 per cent exchangeable. The total Mg reserves in Kerala soils are found to be poor and Mg can be considered as a critical element in these acid soils.
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    Evaluation of laboratory indices of magnesium availability
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1995) Prema, D; Jose, A I; KAU
    A study was conducted to evolve a suitable extractant of available Mg in soil. Twenty soils were selected for the study assuring wide variation in their properties in relation to Mg availability. The various extractants in the final screening showed the following decreasing order in their efficiency for extracting Mg; 0.005 M DTPA + 0.005 M CaCI2 .Mathew's triacid > 0.1 M acetic acid + 0.04 M Ca lactate > Keith's reagent > 0.0125 M CaCI,, 1 N NH4OAc > 0.05 M HCI > 0.005 M DTPA. The amount of Mg extracted by various extractants failed to correlate significantly with the Mg uptake of test crop (rice) as well as the per cent of Mg in the crop. The performance of 0.05 M HCI was promising with respect to the pattern of release, degree of variability due to varying periods of equilibration ami the magnitude of Mg extracted at the optimum period of equilibration.