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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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ThesisItem Open Access Combining ability in vegetable cowpea(Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1992) Rejatha, V; KAU; Ramachandra Nair, NA 6 x 6 diallel analysis was conducted at the Department of Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 1990, aimed at analysing the combining ability, gene action and heterosis of six vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata var-sesquipedalis) lines collected from the germplasm maintained in this department. The experiment I consisted of crossing the six parental lines in all possible combinations, without reciprocals. The material for experiment II consisted of the six parental lines and fifteen hybrids. They were grown in a Randomised Block Design with three replications.The combining ability analysis was carried out based on method 2 under model I as suggested by Griffing (1956). The treatments showed significant differences in most of characters except number of pods/plant and fruit yield/plant. The variance due to general combining ability was significant and higher in magnitude than specific combining ability for the characters days to flowering, mean weight of pod, mean length of pod, number of seeds/pod, length of internode and seed/pod ratio. It was found that the parent selection 104 and selection 145 were the best general combiners for most of the characters studied. The parent selection 129 was the best general combiner for earliness. The hybrids selection 145 x selection 129 was the best specific combiner for mean weight of pod and number of seeds/pod. The hybrid selection 145 x kurutholapayar was the best specific combiner for earliness. The significance of g.c.a. and s.c.a. variances for most of characters indicate the importance of additive and non-additive gene action in controlling the inheritance of these characters. But additive gene action played a major role suggesting that improvement could be made through selection. Heterosis was calculated over mid and better parental values. Maximum positive heterosis was found for the character fruit yield/plant. Since considerable heterosis was evident in most of the characters, heterosis breeding can be attempted in cowpeaThesisItem Open Access Associative effect of azospirillum and bradyrhizobium on nodulation and growth of cowpea (viqna unquiculata (l.) walp,(Department of Plant Pathology College of Horticulture Vellanikkara, 1992) Sunitha, Menon S.; KAU; Rajendran, Pillai M .VThesisItem Open Access Studies on fertility status of rubber growing soils of Palakkad district(Department of Plantation Crops and Spices, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Mohanan, V; KAU; Nazeem, P AThesisItem Open Access Development of a suitable model for ascertaining the growth and egg production in quails(Department of Agricultural Statistics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) John Thomas, M; KAU; George, K CAn investigation was carried out into the growth and egg production aspect of Japanese quails at the Kerala Agricultural University Poultry Farm, Mannuthy on 1st February, 1989 with the following objectives. 1. to find a suitable relationship between age and body weight. 2. to investigate the" trend of egg production in quails through suitable mathematical models. ,3. to study the impact of climate parameters (temperature, ; , humidity) on egg production in quails. The birds were reared under uniform feed formula and ^identical management practices (recommended by Kerala Agricul tural University Package of Practices). The investigation mainly depended on' data consisting of weekly body weights of -ii^-dividual birds, daily egg production of birds (beginning from age at sexual maturity) and daily climatological para meters (temperature and humidity) from beginning till the end of experiment of 30th September, 1989. Mathematical models such as linear, quadratic, exponential, .Von-Bertalanffy, modified exponential, logistic and Gompertz were fitted for the purpose using body weights of ) individual birds as well as average body weights over twelve weeks and the fitted models were compared using coefficient of 2 determination (r ) and standard error of estimate(s). Mathematical models such as linear, exponentialf parabolic exponential, inverse polynomial. Gamma function. Gamma-type functic^n, quadratic function, quadratic function in logari'thmic scale, quadratic-cum-log, emperical and linear hyperbolic functions were fitted for the development of suitable models for ascertaining egg production using total weekly, fortnightly egg production, hen housed and hen day egg production and fitted models were compared using Furnival index, r^ and s. Multiple linear regression equation was fitted using average weekly egg production per bird as dependent variable and weekly temperature and humidity as explanatory variable to study the impact of climatological parameters on egg production in quails. The investigation has the following, salient features. (i) The hatching weight of Japanese quails were 7.1369 g. (ii) The females weighed more than the males during the entire period of experiment and the body weights have shown an increasing trend. At the end of 12th week the average body weights of males and females were 157.6552 g and 179.2500 g respectively. (iii) Rao's method justified that initial body weights • had no significant effect on growth rate. • (iv) Gompertz curve = a exp [-b exp(-kt)'] was most , suitable for , ascertaining growth in quails on individual basis as well as on the basis of • average body weights over twelve weeks. (v) Average age at sexual maturity (females) was found to be approximately 10 weeks and on an average the eggs weighed 12.20 g. (vi) Quadratic function in logarithmic scale ; = a f b(logJ^) + c(log^)^ was most suitable , for ascertaining egg production in quails (weekly, , fortnightly, hen housed and hen day production • basis). (vii) Climatic parameters had significant impact on egg production in quails.ThesisItem Open Access Biology and biometry of Neochetine elchhorniae warner (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) and the nature of damage caused by it on Eichhornia crassipes (mart)(Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1990) Sreekumar, K M; KAU; Joseph, DThe biology, morphology, biometrics and dispersal pattern of the weevil Neochetina eichhorniae Warner and the nature and extent of damage caused by it on water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) were studied. An indirect method of estimating the field population was also attempted. The insect laid the eggs beneath the epidermis of plant parts. Incubation period was 6.6 days and the hatching percentage was 93.2. The larvae fed by tunnelling, and the first, second and third larval instars were completed in 8-10, 13-16 and 13-17 days, respectively. The cocoon was attached to the live roots of the plant and the pupation was just below the water surface. The pupal period was 16.6 days. Adult female longevity was 75.3 days while that of the male was 172.3 days. Pre-oviposit iona I period was 49 days and the total number of eggs produced during the whole life period was 462.5. The head capsule width of first, second and third instar larvae were 0.3, 0.488 and 0.693 mm respectively. In adult males, the average distance between the antennal socket and the tip of the rostrum was 0.259 mm and it was 0.487 mm in females. This character helps in the identification of sexes. No microbes or mites were recorded as natural enemies. The predators were the common non-specific aquatic insects like dytiscid beetle, giant water bug, dragon fly naiads and back swimmers.ThesisItem Open Access Fungal diseases of selected medicinal plants of Kerala(Department of Plant Pathology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 1991) Sukumara, Varma A; KAU; ; Abi, CheeranThesisItem Open Access Quantitative analysis of runoff parameters in selected river basins of Kerala(Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, 1990) JJayasree, S; KAU; John Thomas, KThe evolution of a drainage basin is the result of the flow of mass and energy and the resistance of topographical surface. Precipitation is the major source of matter and solar radiation, the source of energy. The stream flow is a function of geomorphological and hydrological factors of the river basin. The objectives of this study were to make a quantitative analysis of the effects of geomorphological and climatic factors on the stream flow and to study the inter – relationships between these factors. The selected river basins were Chaliyar and Kabbani. The specific objective was to express stream flow in terms of morphological factors and rainfall. The river basin was divided in to sub basin, each of which contains a rivergauge station. Morphological factors were measured from the map. Monthly rainfall from all the raingauge stations were collected and the arithmetical average for each sub-basin was computed. The monthly stream flow was also collected. It was found that the morphological factors were interrelated. The number of stream segments of successive order form a decreasing geometric progression whereas the length of stream segments of successive orders form an increasing geometric progression. Confluence ratio is inversely related to stream flow. Elongation and drainage area are highly correlated. A larger value for the confluence ratio indicates a more elongated basin and a lower flood peak. The sub - basins are similar to the form of a rectangle. Area and elongation are the morphological parameters strongly influencing the stream flow. Drainage density and stream frequency are highly correlated. Drainage density gets altered by the land use, vegetal cover, deforestation and urbanization. Drainage density also affect stream flow. Finally, the expressions for drainage area in terms of the main stream length, drainage density in terms of stream frequency and average monthly stream flow contributed by unit area in terms of the average monthly rainfall were obtained. The data used for the final equation was inadequate. The equation may be improved, by increasing the number of rivergauge stations and providing more representative raingauge stations.ThesisItem Open Access Induced chemical mutagenesis in Rose under in vitro culture(Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture,Vellayani, 1991) Uma, B; KAU; Krishnan Nair, NThe present investigation entitled “Induced chemical mutagenesis in rose (Rosa chinensis) under in vitro culture” was carried out in the Tissue Culture Laboratory attached to the Horticultural Department, College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 1989-90. The main objectives of the experiment were to standardize a suitable culture medium for the growth and development of axillary buds and to standardize a successful method of chemical mutagenesis in rose under in vitro culture using the most potent chemical mutagen, ethyl methane sulphonate. The standardization of hormone levels in the culture medium (ms) was done at three stages of explant development viz. culture establishment, axillary bud proliferation and in vitro rooting. Surface sterilization of axillary buds were standardized by using mercuric chloride selecting out three concentrations 0.06, 0.08 and 0.1 per cent and 3 periods of treatment 5, 10 and 15 minutes. The axillary buds used were of 4 maturity stages ie. Axillary buds at the time of flower harvest and 2, 4 and 6 days after flower harvest. The various concentrations of ethyl methane sulphonate tested include 0.125, 0.25, 0.375 and 0.5 per cent. Two methods of mutagen treatments were tried ie. direct treatment and cotton swab method. In the direct treatment the axillary buds were subjected to EMS treatment at different periods treating the buds at the time of culturing, 2 days after culturing, 4 days after culturing and 6 days after culturing. In the cotton swab method buds were treated with EMS in the plant itself at various stages ie. at the time of flower harvest and 2,4 and 6 days after flower harvest. Surface sterilization of axillary buds was found to be most successful with mercuric chloride at 0.08 per cent for 15 minutes of the various levels of hormonal combinations tested BAP 2 mg/1 +2.4-D 1 mg/1 was found to be the best for culture establishment and BAP 2 mg /1 +GA 1mg/1 for shoot proliferation. Maximum rooting was obtained in full strength MS medium supplemented with IAA 2 mg/1 of the two methods of mutagen treatments tried direct treatment of axillary buds with EMS was not found to be effective as the buds turned brown and no further development occurred. In the cotton swab method, lower concentrations of EMS (0.125 and 0.25 per cent) gave a better performance based on days taken for bud take multiple shoot production and rooting percentage. A decrease in survival percentage was noted with increase in mutagen concentration. Higher concentration of EMS (0.375 and 0.5 per cent) curbed multiple shoot production in buds excised at the time of flower harvest and delayed multiple shoot production in other stages. The percentage cultures showing rooting and the number of roots/shoot also decreased with increase in concentration of EMS. Increase in maturity of buds also delayed multiple shoot production and decreased rooting percentage of the 4 stages of buds used for in vitro culture, buds excised at the time of flower harvest was found to be the best. But mutagen treatment retarded their performance. For mutagen treatment buds excised 4 days after flower harvest was found to be best followed by buds excised 2 days after flower harvest. Buds excised 6 days after flower harvest showed a poor performance in the normal and treated populations. The experiment clearly demonstrated that induced mutagenesis in rose can be successfully done adopting in vitro culture techniques.ThesisItem Open Access Comparative performance of three exotic tree species in social forestry strip plantation in Trichur Social Forestry Division(College of Forestry,Vellanikkara, 1990) Nandakumar, G; KAU; KrishnanNair, V RA study was conducted in 1987-88 on the social forestry strip plantation on the premises of the Sitaram Textile mills Ltd. In the Trichur Social Forestry Division of Kerala State; to compare the performance of three exotic fast growing tree species, Casuarina equisetifolia, Acacia auriculiformis and Eucalyptus tereticornis in social forestry strip plantation. Comparisons were made on the three year old plantation in respect of growth, biomass production and impact on the soil and undergrowth. General observations were also made on the tree form, occurance of pests and diseases and wild life habitat improvement. The site of experiment was being used for dumping coal cinders and other wastes from the textile mill and was barren before planting. The experiment was laid out in RBD with five replications. The results obtained in the study have been summarised below : At the end of the third year Acacia auriculiformis had a DBH of 4.56 cm followed by Eucalyptus tereticornis with 3.82 cm and Casuarina equisetifolia with 1.62 cm. The mean annual diameter increments were 1.44 cm/year in Acacia, 1.20 cm/year in Eucalyptus and 0.51 cm/year in Casuarina. Acacia had more primary branches (27/tree) followed by Eucalyptus (23/tree) and Casuarina (17/tree). The first primary branch was 3.18 m above the ground in Eucalyptus, 2.22 m in Acacia and in 2.16 m in Casuarina. Acacia had 100% survival at the third year while Eucalyptus had 88%. But Casuarina had only 72% survival rates. In growth as well as survival, Acacia auriculiformis was found to be the best among the three. Eucalyptus tereticornis was found superior to Casusrina equisetifolia while the latter was the least impressive of the three. The total biomass yield at the third year was 98.438 mt (drymatter)/ha in Acacia auriculiformis, 48.424 mt/ha in Eucalyptus tereticornis and 12.506 mt/ha in Casuarina equisetifolia. Acacia had a mean annual biomass increment of 32.813 mt/ha. MAI of Eucalyptus was 16.141 mt/ha while that of Casuarina was only 4.169 mt/ha. In biomass production too, Acacia auriculiformis was found superior to Eucalyptus tereticornis and Casuarina equisetifolia. Of the three species Casuarina equisetifolia with a light intensity on the floor of 49.5% was the least shading one, followed by Eucalyptus tereticornis with 43.6% and Acacia auriculiformis with 30.6%. Eucalyptus was found to permit luxuriant undergrowth, so also casuarina. The above ground phytomass was 1.431 kg drymatter/m2 in Eucalyptus and 1,176 kg/m2 in Casuarina. But Acacia was found to inhibit undergrowth (0.183 kg/m2 ). Even the little undergrowth that was permitted by it comprised mostly of its own seedlings. The undergrowth in Eucalyptus comprised mostly of woody species (65.5%) while that of casuarina comprised mostly of grasses (68.5%). The presence of coal cinders had caused a rise in the soil pH, organic matter content, available Nitrogen content and available phosphorus content of the soil. The lowest pH value in the top soil was found in Acacia soil 4.31. Eucalyptus soil had 4.69 and Casuarina soil had 4.94 compared to the barren laterite (5.16) and the barren laterite with coal cinders (5.32). At the depth of 30-45 cm, the pH values were 4.85 in Acasia soil, 5.17 in Casuarina soil and 5.32 in Eucalptus soil. The barren laterite had a pH of 5.24 and in the barren laterite with coal cinders it was 5.42. The pH at 60-70 cm depth was 4.88 in Acacia soil 5.24 in Casuarina soil, 5.33 in Eucalyptus soil, 5.36 in barren laterite and 5.52 in barren laterite with coal cinders. All the three species reduced the pH of the soil. But Acacia auriculiformis was found to lower the pH of the soil more than the other two. pH increased with the depth in all the treatments. The organic carbon contents in the top soils were 0.57% in Acacia, 0.41% in Eucalyptus, 0.49% in Casuarina, 0.39% in barren laterite and 0.43% in barren laterite with coal cinders. The organic matter content was found to decrease as depth increased in all the treatments. There was a general rise in the organic carbon content of the soils due to the impact of the three species with the maximum in Acacia soils and the minimum in Casuarina soils. The available Nitrogen content in the top soil was 1277 kg/ha in Acacia, 1165 kg/ha in Eucalyptus, 1098 kg/ha in Casuarina, 874 kg/ha in barren laterite and 963 kg/ha in barren laterite with coal cinders. There was a reduction in the available Nitrogen content as the soil depth increased in all the treatments. All the three species caused an increase in the available Nitrogen content of the soil, the highest being observed in Acacia auriculiformis followed by Eucalyptus tereticornis. The available Potash content of the soils did not record any change under the different species. The available phosphorus contents of the top soils were 92.7 kg/ha in Casuarina, 90 kg/ha in Eucalyptus, 81.5 kg/ha in Acacia. 79.3 kg/ha in barren lateric and 87.4 kg/ha in the barren laterite with coal cinders. There was reduction in the content of the nutrient as depth increased in all the treatments. In Acacia soils the content of the available Phosphorus had decreased. Regarding the general observations, Acacia auriculiformis showed pronounced branching habits while Eucalyptus and Casuarina had more or less clean boles. Pests and diseases were not observed excepting the pink disease (c.o. Corticium salmonicolor) in Eucalyptus. Crows and rodents were the principal representatives of wild life in the plantion. Honey bees commonly foraged the inflorescence of Acacia. Acacia auriculiformis proved itself to be a highly promising tree for energy plantations and for afforesting sites dumped with coal cinders and for sites offering little protection from anthropogenic influences and grazing. It also improved the organic matter content and available nitrogen content of the soil and was free from graziers. But at the same time there were also unwelcome effects due to Acacia such as increasing the acidity of the soil and supressing undergrowth. It also tended to be highly branching. Eucalyptus tereticornis also was found to be good in growth and biomass production and could be recommended for similar sites. The species also enriched the soil by increasing the contents of organic carbon and available Nitrogen. Though it too reduced the pH of the soil, the species was found to support luxuriant undergrowth and was spared by graziers. Casuarina equisetifolia was a less suitable species for such a site as seen from the performance of the species. It suffered heavily from browsing and showed lesser survival growth and yield. But the species increased the organic carbon content and available Nitrogen content of the soil and permitted luxuriant undergrowth especially grasses.
