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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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1984 - 198911990 - 20005
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Author: KAU × Author: Shylaja, M R × Start date: 1984 ×
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Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Somaclonal variation in black pepper (piper nigrum L)
    (Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1996) Shylaja, M R; KAU; Sreekandan Nair, G
    Investigations on the exploitation of somaclonal variation for screening for resistance to Phytophthora foot rot disease in black pepper were carried out at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory of the Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during September 1991 to January 1995. Calliclones of different black pepper cultivars viz. Kalluvally, Cheriakanyakkadan, Balankotta, Karimunda and Panniyur – 1 were produced with and without applying in vitro selection pressure using toxic metabolite(s) of Phytophthora capsici. In vitro induction of mutation using gamma irradiation and partial purification of the toxic metabolite(s) present in the culture filtrate of P. capsici were also attempted in the present study. Leaf puncture bioassay of the concentrated culture filtrate (CCF) of P. capsici showed that toxic metabolite(s) were accumulated in the culture filtrate. The symptoms produced by CCF were quite typical of natural and artificial infection by P. capsici. Concentrated culture filtrate induced quick electrolyte leakage from leaves and calluses. Concentrated culture filtrate induced necrosis on susceptible calli. The cultivars showed significant variation in callus necrosis. Prolonged duration of selection/screening with CCF totally inhibited the regeneration potential of the calli. Concentrated culture filtrate was not found to inhibit shoot proliferation and shoot growth in already regenerated cultures but inhibited the root growth. In the three direct selection/screening methods tried for calli viz. growing in CCF incorporated MS medium (Method 1) shaking in CCF incorporated liquid MS medium (Method 2) and double layer culture technique (Method 3), cultivars showed significant differences in callus necrosis and callus growth. Direct screening of calli was not found to inhibit the regeneration of shoots, shoot proliferation and recovery of rootable shoots but affected the root growth adversely. Gamma irradiation of calli using 60Co source did not give any better response to in vitro screening. The toxic metabolite(s) present in the culture filtrate could not be separated by organic solvent fractionation. However ion exchangers like Dowex 1 and Dowex 50 could be used for separation of the toxic fraction from the filtrate. The response of five different cultivars at various stages of development of cultures when compared, it was found that the cultivars differed significantly in callusing, callus growth, regeneration of shoots, recovery of rootable shoots and root growth. The clones regenerated from screened and unscreened calli were further tested for resistance/ tolerance to P. capsici using different methods of screening viz.natural screening (keeping in infected field), screening by electrolyte leakage method and screening by artificial inoculation of culture disc of P. capsici. None of the regenerated calliclones were found to be resistant to the disease in natural screening. When the tolerance level of the regenerated calliclones was looked into, the performance of the unscreened calli derived clones was found better as compared to the screened calli derived ones. The calliclones of different cultivars differed significantly inthetolerance/susceptibility reaction to the disease. The calliclones of Cheriakanyakkadan recorded greater degree of tolerance to the disease when compared to others. Among the cultivars studied, Kalluvally exhibited high rate of somaclonal variation.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Standardisation of the Technique of Stonegrafting in Cashew and Management Practices For Field Establishment
    (Department of Pomology, Floriculture and Landscaping, College of Horticulture,Vellanikkara, 1984) Shylaja, M R; KAU; Aravindakhan, M
    The studies on the propagation of cashew by stone – grafting was carried out at the College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during June, 1982 to May, 1983 to find out the season for stone – grafting, to study the effect of procuring of scions, to standardise the best method of grafting and to find out the proper size, thickness and age of the rootstock on percentage of success of grafting. The studies revealed that the months of August and September were most suitable for stone – grafting under Kerala conditions. The period from October to December was most unsuitable. Of the different treatments tried the treatment TI, where grafting was done by the cleft method using scion sticks defoliated 10 days ahead of the grafting operation was found to be significantly superior to all the other treatments. Defoliation 10 days prior to the grafting operation was definitely superior to five days procuring and non – curing. Similarly the cleft method was found to be better than splice method. There was no significant correlation between the percentage of success and the various weather parameters like quantity of rainfall, number of rainy days, maximum and minimum temperatures and relative humidity. The mist condition did not improve the ultimate take of the grafts. There was linear growth rate for the different growth parameters tested such as the girth of the stock and scion and height of the scion. Also the girth of the stock and scion exhibited the same growth rate giving a ratio of about one for all the treatments except for the treatment T1 (grafting by the cleft method using 10 day procured scions) of the grafts produced in the month of June. There was apparently no difference in the percentage success in stone – grafting prepared from 10 days old and five days old stocks. Stocks and scions of girth 2.1 to 2.4 cm was found to give better success than those of above 2.4 cm. Scions of length 8.6 to 10.5 cm was found to be better than those with a length of 4.5 to 6.5 cm, 6.6 to 8.5 cm and above 10.5 cm.
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    Screening of black pepper (Piper Nigrum L.) calliclones for phytophthora foot rot resistance / tolerance
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1996) Shylaja, M R; Sreekandan Nair, G; James Mathew; KAU
    Calliclones of different black pepper cultivars viz., Kalluvally, Cheriakanyakkadan, Balankotta, Karimunda and Panniyur-1 were regenerated from calli, screened against toxic metabolite(s) of Phytophthora capsici. The regenerants derived from screened and unscreened calli were further tested for resistance / tolerance to P. capsici using different methods of screening viz., natural screening (keeping in infected field), screening by electrolyte leakage method and screening by artificial inoculation with culture disc of P. capsici. None of the regenerated calliclones was found to be completely resistant to the disease in natural screening. However, some of the regenerants derived from unscreened calli exhibited higher degree of tolerance to the disease revealing the possibility of exploiting somaclonal variation for Phytophthora foot rot disease screening in black pepper. The calliclones of Cheriakanyakkadan recorded greater degree of tolerance to the disease as compared to others.
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    Effect of toxic metabolite(s) of phytophthora capsici on various stages of morphogenesis of black pepper calli
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1997) Shylaja, M R; Sreekandan Nair, G; KAU
    The effect of toxic metaholite(s) of Phytophthora capsici on various stages of morphogenesis of black pepper calli was studied. The survival rate of the call! in toxin medium was influenced by the varieties / cultivars used for the study. Once the calli survived in the toxin medium, the toxic tnetabolite(s) did not inhibit further growth of the calli. The shoot proliferation and elongation were also not influenced by the metabolite(s) in the media. However, the root growth was affected adversely.
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    In vitro production of toxic metabolite(s) by phytophthora capsici and partial purification of the metabolite(s)
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 1997) Shylaja, M R; Sreekandan Nair, G; Augustine, A; James Mathew; KAU
    Phytophthora capsici, the causal organism of Phytophthora foot rot disease in black pepper produces toxic metaholite(s) under in vitro conditions. Maximum accumulation of toxic metabolite(s) was observed in shake cultures of 15 days incubation in Ribeiro's medium. The symptoms induced by toxic metabolite(s) were quite typical to symptoms of natural and artificial infection by the pathogen. The toxic metabolite(s) accumulated in the in vitro culture was found to be heat stable aim non-specific. The toxic metabolite(s) could not be separated using organic solvent fractionation since it is present in the aqueous fraction of the culture filtrate. However, ion exchangers like Dowex 1 and Dowex 50 could be used for separating the metabolite(s) from the aqueous fraction.
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    ArticleItemOpen Access
    Response of black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) variety panniyur-1 and cultivars to indirect organogenesis
    (Kerala Agricultural University, 2000) Shylaja, M R; Sreekandan Nair, G; KAU
    Indirect organogensis was attempted in the black pepper variety Panmyur-1 and four cultivars viz. Karimunda, Kalluvally, Balankotta and Cheriakanyakkadan from expianls of axenic seedlings. The response of variety/cultivars at various stages of morphogenesis was studied in detail. The response suggests the manipulation of media specifically to each variety / cultivar to achieve the maximum morphogcnelic potential.