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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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Now showing 1 - 9 of 15
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on heterosis and combining abilities with respect to important economic traits in Capsicum annuum, L.
    (Division of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1981) Manikantan Nair, P; KAU; Mary, K George
    Sixty three varieties of Capsicum annuum representing different agroclimatic regions of the country constituted the base material of the study. Based on yield potential , adaptability and tolerance to leaf curl complex disease, thirty varieties were selected for subsequent studies. Comprehensive genetic studies including estimation of genetic parameters, cause effect relationship by path coefficient analysis, genetic divergence by Mahalanoble D2 statistic and a nine parent diallel analysis to causes the combining ability, to unravel the pattern of inheritance and also to examine the level of heterosis manifested with respect to eighteen economic characters including four nutritiveand quality attributes namely Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Capsaicin and Oleoresin content were conducted during the year 1976-79. Analysis of plot means exhibited highly significant differences among varieties except for Capsaicin content. The high degres of variability in economic attributes offers scope for recombining desirable genes from different varieties.
  • ThesisItemOpen Access
    Cytomorphological and chemical studies on intervarietal crosses of Capsicum annuum, L.
    (Division of Agricultural Botany, Agricultural College & Research Institute, Vellayani, 1970) Manikantan Nair, P; KAU; Mary, K George
    The cytomorphological and chemical aspects of four F1 hybrids of crosses involving five varieties of Capsicum annuum L. were studied . The variety ' Local blue' which possessed mosaic resistance , prolific bearing habit , long life span and high pungency was selected as the common seed parent. The selected pollen parents were, Russian, Indian long red , Chinese giant and Oskosh which were gifted with a higher content of ascorbic acid and sucrose and larger fruit size , but lacking the qualities of the common seed parent. 2. All the four F1 hybrids manifested a marked degree of heterosis in many economically important attributes like , carliness in blooming, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area and chemical constituents like ascorbic acid and sucrose. 3. An intermediate condition was observed with regard to height , spread, number of fruits, fruit size and number of F2 seeds
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Performance of cowpea varieties under varying levels of phosphorus in red-loam soils
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1976) Mohamed Kunju, U; Ramachandran Nair, V; Manikantan Nair, P; Sadanandan, N; KAU
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Study of varietal performance of soya beans
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1975) Mary K George; Chandramony, D; Manikantan Nair, P; KAU
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Cytological studies on four inter varietal crosses of capsicum annuum
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1975) Manikantan Nair, P; Mary K George; KAU
    Cytological studies of microsporocytes in four hybrids and five parents of the varieties of Capsicum annuum were conducted. Variety local blue was taken as the seed parent. The pollen parents Included varieties, Russian, Indian long red, Chinese g-'ant and Oskosh. All the four crosses revealed pronounced heterosis as regards pollea size. Further, all the hybrids manifested the presence of ring quadrivalents, chain quadrivalents, and trivalents while the hybrid local blue x Indian long red contained univalents, pycnotic behaviour, unequal distribution and anaphase bridges. The abnormal meiotic behaviour of microsporocytes had a positive correlation on the pollen sterility and affected the ultimate fruit set.
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Effect of growth regulators on the yield of tomatoes
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1974) Manikantan Nair, P; Mohanakumaran, N; Ramachandran Nair, V; KAU
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Effect of growth regulators on the yield of tomatoes
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1974) Manikantan Nair, P; Mohanakumaran, N; Ramachandran Nair, V; KAU
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Heterosis in chilli (Capsicum annum L.)
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1986) Manikantan Nair, P; Mary K George; Mohanakumaran, N; KAU
    An experiment was laid out in 1979 at the Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani to study the heterosis in Capsicum annum L. Nine parents and 36 F1 hybrids were compared. Eighteen economic attributes including vitamin A, vitamin C, capsaicin and oleoresin content were studied. All the characters under investigation manifested heterosis over midparental values though there was wide variation for different traits in different cross combinations. Maximum heterosis was noticed for number of primary bradches and vitamin C content. A comparison of average heterosis for various characters revealed that number of secondary branches topped the list followed by vitamin C, capsaicin content and number of primary branches. The studies identified two promising hybrids with desirable attributes namely Purple Round x Vellanotchi and Pant C1 x Purple Cluster. Negative heterosis was noticed for two important economic attributes namely number of days taken for blooming and number of seeds per fruit. For nutritive and quality characters very little expression of hybrid vigour in vitamin A content was noticed. However, there was considerable manifestation of hybrid vigour in vitamin C and oleoresin content.
  • ArticleItemOpen Access
    Variability and correlations in sugarcane hybrids for economic attributes
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1986) Alice Antony; Manikantan Nair, P; Sukumaran Nair, S; KAU