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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Open Access
Genetic studies in sweet potato (ipomoea batatas(l.)lam.) a biometric approach
(Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1979) Joseph, C A; KAU; Mary George, K
In a varietal evaluation of 40 varieties of sweet potato all the 15 characters studied showed highly significant differences among the varieties. This was also expressed in the higher phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation. The high degree of variability especially in tuber characters offers scope for recombining desirable genes from different varieties. Tuber yield showed significant positive correlation with number of tubers, tuber diameter and harvest index, and significant negative correlation with internode length, vine length and top weight. Path-coefficient analysis revealed that among the first order components of tuber yield, tuber diameter, length and number and top weight had high positive direct effects while leaf area index had a negative direct effect. A comparison of the direct and indirect effects of first and second order components revealed that while selecting for high yielding types, a balanced approach may be adopted with regard to the different yield attributes. Genetic divergence in the available germ plasm was estimated using the Mahalanobis' D2 statistic and based on this the 40 varieties were grouped into 12 clusters. The number of verities in each cluster ranged from one to eight. The divergence between different clusters was not always due to divergence in the same set of characters but a combination of different sets of characters. Out of the fifteen characters studied seven viz., tuber diameter, vine length, number of branches, number of tubers, tuber yield, top weight and number of leaves accounted for more than 80 per cent of the divergence in the material. Canonical analysis also more or less confirmed the grouping of the verities made by Tocher's method. Eight varieties selected on the basis of genetic divergence were used for progeny studies. All these varieties were found to be completely self-incompatible. It is observed that time of pollination markedly affected fruit and seed set. Maximum fruit and seed set was obtained between 7 and 7.30 a.m. And it progressively decreased as time passes. The weather conditions prevailing during the period of anthesis and pollination also influenced fruit and seed set. Maximum, minimum and mean temperature had significant negative correlation with both fruit and seed set. Path-coefficient anaysis revealed that most of the weather elements studied had negative direct effect on fruit and seed set. The total contribution of weather elements alone on fruit and seed set worked out to 40 and 32.5 percent respectively and hence any study on incompatibility and sterility in sweet potato may be conducted under controlled environmental conditions for reliable results. Genetic analysis of quantitative characters was done utilising line x tester and open pollinated progenies of the eight selected varieties. In the open pollinated progenies, existence of non- additive and environmental effects were observed in top weight, vine length, tuber diameter and leaf area index, and additive effects in number of leaves, number of tubers and tuber yield. In the line x tester progenies, additive variance was high compared to non- additive components in all the characters except the number of branches. The regression coefficients of progenies on male and mid- parental values were significant in seven out of ten characters in the line x teater progenies and in four characters on female parental values in the open pollinated progenies. The standardised regression coefficients reduced the magnitude and variability in the regression coefficients to some extent. The estimates of broad sense heritability from the varietal evaluation was higher in magnitude for most of the characters than the estimates of narrow sense heritability obtained from components of variance in open pollinated and line x tester progenies. Tuber yield showed 70.61 and 43.65 per cent heritability from the components of variance analyses in the open pollinated and line x tester progenies respectively, while number of tubers showed 82.75 and 70.07 per cent heritability. The variance between males was significant in respect of top weight, vine length, number of leaves, number of tubers, tuber diameter, leaf area index and harvest index, while the variance between females was significant only in tuber length. Significant reciprocal differences were observed in top weight, number of tubers, leaf area index and harvest index. With respect to general combining ability significant positive effects were observed in number of tubers in the varieties J.29 and H.42, tuber length in Palchakram and H.42, tuber diamter in IB.40 and Chakkaravalli and harvest index in J.29 and Palchakram. Significant heterotic effects were observed in a number of vine and tuber characters in both hybrid and open pollinated progenies. Seven hybrid progenies showed significant increase in tuber yield which ranged from 31.25 to 84.63 per cent over the higher parental values. Both hybrid and open pollinated progenies gave heterotic combinations for economic characters. The varieties which gave heterotic progenies by open pollination have performed well in certain hybrid combinations also. Considering the difficulties in the large scale hybridization and production of hybrid seedling, it is suggested that open pollination in selected varieties especially good combiners can be adopted as a quick and efficient method for varietal improvement in sweet potato
Open Access
Studies on the metabolic activity of the productive system of chicken
(Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1978) Ramakrishna Pillai, M G; KAU; Nirmalan, G
Information on the specific role of onzymes in controlling the various biochemical events leading to formation of an egg in the avian oviduct is scanty. Hence, it was considered worth while to investigate the onzyme pattern in the plasma and in the reproductive organs in white Leghorn and white Plymouth Rock breeds of fowls, and to studyt the tissue localization of acid and alkaline phosphatases by histochemical techniques. The influences of various oxogenous sex hormones on the development and onzyne pattern of the female reproductive organs was also studied. The blood plasma and tissue homogenatee of the reproductive organs were assayed for alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, glutamate oxaloacetate transaainace , acid phosphatase, glutante pyruvate transaminases and glucose-6- phosphatase. Many of the enzymes studied were present in the plasma and tissue homogenates without any significant breed difference. Acid phosphatase activity could not be detected in he blood [plasma of one-to-two-months-old white Leghorn and White Plymouth rock birds. In the white plymouth rock chicken,ma glutanate pyruvate transaminase activity also could not be detected. Alkaline activity was higher in the ovary of White Leghorn breed of fowls. phosphatase In the two-to-three-month-old pullets, White Plymouth rock bird showed higher concentration of glucose-6-phosphatase in their oviducts. Five-to six-month-old folwle of both the breed did not show any plasma acid phosphatase activity. But in the infundibulue, activities of both the transminaces were higher in the White Leghorn fowle. Glutamate pyruvate tranminance activity in white Plyouth rock oviducvt was conficed to the megaum and isthmue. While there was not significant difference in the morophological development of the oviduet in immature chicken under the influences of different combination of stilbestrol diprepienate and testoateronar propionate or stilbestrol dipropionate and progeetrone compared to chickens on stil bestrol dipropionate alone the White Leghorn chickens receiving stilbostrol dipropinate and testoaterins propicnate showed higher ovariam levels of acid phosphatase and glutamate transminase. pyruvate Oviducal contents of acid phosphatase, glutamate oxalocetate and glutamate pyruvate transminases were also high. In the white Plymouth rock ehicken, on the other hand, lower concentration of plasma glutnate pyruvate transmainase and lower levels of oviducal alkaline phosphatase, acid phophatase and glutanate oxalocetate transminace were evident. In between the two experimental groups, the white Plymouth rock chickens had higher content of acid phosphatase in the iethmus and glucose-6-phosphatase in the varina. But, among the control groups higher contents of plasma glutamae pyruvate transaminase and oviducak alkaline phosphatase were seen in he whit plymouth rock chicks. Stilbestrol dipropionate and progreaterone administation resulted in higher oviducal concentraion of glutamate oxalocacetate tamsmionase in white plymouth rock chicks. Glutamate pyruvate tranmnase activity could tissues studied. In white Leghorn experimental chicks the ovarian acid phosphatase content was less than their corresponding control chicks. Histochemical localisation of alkline phosphatase was seen in all the region of the female reproductive organs in both the breeds. Ovarian localization of the enzyme was in the follicular optithelium and strima with strong reaction for the enzyme in many of the blood veacole. The reaction was of stronger intensity in magmm and gvagina coupared to other regionsof the oviduct. Localization of acid phosphatase was similar to that of alkaline phosphatase. The histochemical localization of acid and alkaline phosphatase in the various regions of the female reproductive organs developed under the influence of different sex hormones were similar to those seen in adult fowls. However, the intensity of the staining reaction for the ensyme in the reproductive organs of chicks developed under the influence of stilbestrol dipropionate was more compared to that of the other two experimental groups.
Open Access
Studies on the effect of multiple cropping on soil fertility and crop yields in wet land
(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1978) Sasidhar, V K; KAU; Sadanandan, N
The problem entitled "Studies on the effect of multiple cropping on soil fertility and crop yields in wet land" was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Trivandrum during the years 1974-76 to assess the effect of five cropping patterns, viz, rice-rice-sweet potato, rice-rice-cowpea, rice-rice-sesamum, rice-rice- groundnut and rice-rice-rice on the various physical and chemical properties of soil and yield of crops and finally to find out the most suitable and efficient cropping pattern. The study revealed that rice-rice-groundnut was the most efficient and suitable cropping pattern for the wet land. The maximum yield per hectare as well as per day was recorded by sweet potato and the minimum by sesamum. While the maximum annual yield was recorded by the cropping pattern rice-rice-sweet potato, the minimum was from the cropping pattern rice-rice-sesamum during both the years. The dry matter production per hectare per year from individual cropping patterns was maximum in rice-rice- sweet potato and minimum in rice-rice-cowpea during the first year and the corresponding rotations were rice-rice- groundnut and rice-rice-sesamum during the second year. The maximum economic returns were obtained from the cropping pattern rice-rice-groundnut during both the years. While the minimum economic returns were obtained from the cropping pattern rice-rice-cowpea during the first year it was from rice-rice-rice during the second year.. Soil fertility studies showed that cropping pattern rice-rice-sweet potato resulted in decrease in bulk density, pH and total nitrogen and increase in water stable aggregates, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, C : N ratio, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable potash, exchangeable calcium, exchangeable, magnesium, and exchangeable hydrogen. The cropping pattern rice-rice-cowpea resulted in decrease in bulk density, pH, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, c : 11 ratio, exchangeable calcium and exchangeable magnesium and increase in water stable aggregates, total nitrogen, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable potash and / exchangeable hydrogen. While there was decrease in bulk density, pH and total nitrogen there was increase in cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, G : N ratio, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable potash, exchangeable calcium, exchangeable magnesium and exchangeable hydrogen in the cropping pattern rice-rice-sesamum. The rice-rice-groundnut cropping pattern resulted in decrease in bulk density, pH,cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, G : W ratio and increase in,water stable aggregates, total nitrogen, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable potash, exchangeable calcium, exchangeable magnesium and exchangeable hydrogen. However, cropping pattern rice-rice-rice resulted in increase in bulk density, 0 * N ratio, exchangeable hydrogen and decrease in water stable aggregates, pH, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, extractable phosphorus, exchangeable potash, exchangeable calcium and exchangeable magnesium. While virippu rice was most efficient, in utilizing nitrogen for dry matter production, cowpea was least efficient in this regard. The groundnut crop showed maximum efficiency in the utilization of phosphorus and potash for dry matter production. While sesamum was least efficient in the case of phosphorus it was sweet potato in the case of potash. The highest and the lowest protein yields wereobtained during first and second years from the cropping /pattern rice-rice-groundnut and rice-rice-sesamum respectively
Open Access
Investigations on the microbial deterioration of copra
(Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1978) Susamma, Philip; KAU; Ramanatha, Menon

Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur

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