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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 Traditional therapeutic uses of animals and animal products among indigenous people of Idukki district, Kerala, India(Department of Wildlife Sciences, College of Forestry, Vellanikkara, 2021-12-31) Shijith S Nair.; KAU; M ShajiHumans have known about ethnobiological uses since ancient times and rely on fauna and flora for medicines, food, clothing, and other necessities of life. For their basic health-care needs, the world population is looking for an alternative medication generated from natural resources, and this natural alternative, which consists of various bioactive chemicals, may be more effective with less toxicity than manufactured pharmaceuticals. The Western Ghats are home to a diverse range of fauna and flora, with plant-based medicines accounting for the majority of natural medicines discovered thus far. Animal medicines, on the other hand, have a restricted number of references. Rural communities, who have acquired millennium old traditional wisdom from their predecessors and handed it down through generations, are crucial in disease management. Poverty and a scarcity of medical facilities are to blame, they rely mainly on traditional knowledge, hence This knowledge is only available in rural regions. Before it is depleted as a result of rising urbanisation, modernization, and industry, traditional plant and animal recipes must be recorded. It is critical to document particular human societies' plant and animal usage that are passed down through the generations in undiscovered areas. Furthermore, with the growing threat of microorganism resistance to existing allopathic medications, novel natural chemical combinations with synergistic or additive effects are desperately needed. As a result, the project was designed with the goals of 1) analysing and documenting indigenous people's ethnozoological knowledge in Kerala's Idukki area. 2) additionally, document the creation and use of medications derived from animals and animal products, and 3) quantitative indices are used to determine the highly desired ones. This might be the first investigation in the specific location to describe traditionally used medicinal fauna and its recipes. The findings of the study might help preserve traditional knowledge and identify new taxa as a potential source of adjunct to conventional medicine. 84 The outcomes of the reseaech followed imply that local populations in Idukki have a good understanding of how to make ethnomedicine out of faunal diversity based on what's available. This research preserves ethnobiological data while also laying the groundwork for pharmacological, phytochemical, and synergistic research. People employ animal products/parts either alone or in combination with other things to treat a variety of human diseases. The findings also reveal that ethnomedicine is an important part of the primary health care system in the research area, but that it is mostly centred on flora rather than fauna. The animal recipes offer new perspectives on drug research that, through synergistic mechanisms, may pave the way for the development of new and effective therapies. Traditional knowledge is rapidly fading; hence scholars are being encouraged to perform further study in this region so that it may be preserved and documented.ThesisItem Open Access Spatial mapping of flood prone areas and risk assessment of Chalakudy river basin using HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS models(Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Kelappaji college of Agricultural Engineering and Technology,Tavanur, 2021-10-17) Gudidha Gopi.; Rema, K P.Floods are one among the most devastating natural disasters that affects life on the globe. For the planning and design of water resources projects in the preferred area, planners and engineers usually require reliable estimates of flood magnitude and frequency. Kerala state in the Indian sub continent received a catastrophic flood in the year 2018. The present study attempts to model the flood flows and map the flood prone areas of a river basin in Kerala. The Chalakudy river basin, one of the worst-affected river basins due to heavy rains and floods was selected for the present study. This is the fifth largest river in Kerala. The basin is predominant with agricultural land and falls under the humid tropical zone, where water resources planning and management is necessary for irrigation scheduling, flood control and design of various engineering structures. In order to address the above issues, an attempt was made to calibrate and validate HEC-HMS model for simulating the flood hydrograph for the Chalakudy river basin. Flood frequency analysis was carried out to estimate the flood peak values using frequency distributions in HEC-SSP software. The results were compared with the estimated flood peak values for different return periods obtained from the HEC-HMS model. Hydraulic routing was done in HEC-RAS model and the flood inundation maps were prepared. The cadastral level risk areas were identified based on water surface profiles of velocity and depth of flood extent and its characteristics. Food vulnerability maps based on land use patterns were developed in order to identify the severely affected land uses. The HEC-HMS model for the basin was developed using SCS-UH, SCSCN, Recession and Muskingum methods to find out the loss rate, runoff transformation and routing of flood respectively. Statistical performance indices of the model, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) and Coefficient of correlation (R²) values were obtained above 0.7, Error in Peak Flow (%) and Error in Volume (%) were figured below 20% and Root Mean Square Error-Standard Deviation Ratio (RSR) was acquired as 0.5 and below. These values indicated that HEC-HMS model simulation performed well in both calibration and validation. The frequency discharge values calculated using Log Pearson type-III distribution indicated a high degree of similarity to the HEC-HMS generated values with an R 2 value of 0.862. The results of the Log Normal and Gumbel distributions are significantly lower than those of the HEC-HMS model values. The assessment of the vulnerability due to the flooding was made with regard to the land use pattern and cadastral level risk map of Chalakudy river basin was developed for different return periods. Kadukutty Panchayat located in the downstream of Chalakudy river basin was found to be the maximum flood inundated area for 10 year return period ( 557 ha) and for 200 year return period (681 ha). Manjapra Panchayat located in upstream was found to be the least flood inundated area for 10 year return period (6 ha) and for 200 year return period (9 ha). Annamanada, Kadukutty, Melur and Pariyaram panchayats were under high risk areas, with depths greater than 20 m. Ayyampuzha, Chalakudy, Mala, Kuzhur, Parakkadavu and Puthenvelikara panchayats were under medium risk areas with depths varying from 10 to 20 m. Athirappilly, Manjapra and Karukutty panchayats were under low risk areas with depths less than 10 m. The flood vulnerability maps were generated by intersecting the flood plain land use map with the flooded area polygons. Paddy land near to the river banks was found to be the highest inundated by different return period floods, followed by forest and other vegetation, barren land and other land use classesThesisItem Open Access Response of banana Musa (AAB) 'Nendran' to nutrient sources(Department of Fruit Science, College of Agriculture ,Vellanikkara, 2021) Manohar Lal Meghwal.; Jyothi, M L; KAUanana is the leading tropical fruit in the world market today with a highly organized and developed industry. Banana having a root system spread in the top 60 cm soil, is heavy feeder of nutrients and requires large quantities of nutrients for its growth, development and yield. Nutrient removal from soil by crops must be replenished. Under good management conditions and adequate supply of biofertilizers and organic manures, the nutrient removal can be replenished and soil physical, chemical and biological properties can be improved. Organic and inorganic sources of nutrients have significant influence on fruit quality and soil characteristics. The current agricultural policy emphasize a shift towards safe agricultural practices for which organic management is the best option. However the crop behaviour under organic and inorganic management needs elaborate studies. Hence the research entitled ‘Response of banana Musa (AAB) 'Nendran' to nutrient sources was formulated to elucidate response of banana in terms of growth, yield and quality to nutrient sources and to compare the fruit quality of banana grown under organic and conventional systems in farmer’s field. The study revealed that vegetative growth of Musa Nendran banana was not influenced by different sources of nutrients in early stage in both the years but later differences were recorded between the treatments. Plant height, number of leaves and pseudostem girth showed significant differences from 90 DAP. At bunching stage plant height and pseudostem girth were higher in organic treatments. There was significant difference in pseudostem girth between the treatments throughout the growth stage of Nendran banana. Among the treatments, T8 resulted in better growth of plants. Leaf characters like number of leaves and leaf area index were not influenced significantly between organic and integrated nutrient management. Early leaf production was also noticed in treatment T8 as indicated by the observations on phyllocron. Growth was delayed in control where no manures and fertilizers. In general more number of leaves per plant and lesser duration for leaf emergence was recorded in both the years in organic treatments. Chlorophyll production in the index leaf of banana was influenced with organic and inorganic nutrition. Chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll in the index leaf were distinctly higher in treatment T8 (fertigation with FYM) which was on par with treatments T3 and T5 where organic manures alone were applied. Early flowering and early harvesting were observed in organic treatments. Higher total biomass production was recorded in organic treatments. Yield and yield attributing characters like bunch weight, number of finger, finger weight were highest in treatments with organic sources of nutrients. The mean bunch weight was influenced significantly by organic and inorganic sources of nutrients. Fertigation with organic sources of nutrients resulted in the production of heavier bunches in both years. Maximum bunch weight was recorded from treatment T8 which was on par with other organic treatments as well as integrated management with fertilisers applied as fertigation as well as based on soil test results. No significant variation was observed between treatments on number of hands per bunch and finger characters like finger length and girth. Peel thickness of fruits were not significantly influenced but the pulp to peel ratio was significantly influenced by the treatments. Pulp to peel ratio was higher in all treatments other than T1 and control where T1 is the POP recommendation for TC banana under integrated nutrient management. Yield per plant was positively correlated with available N, P, K, Calcium, magnesium, sulphur, Zn, Cu, B, content of the soil. Yield was also positively correlated with soil properties like pH, organic carbon content, CEC, Bulk density, and Dehydrogenase enzyme activity. Higher biomass production was recorded in plants that received nutrients from organic sources compared to integrated nutrient management and control. Shelf life of fruits were improved in organic treatments. Fruit quality parameters like TSS, Total sugars, ascorbic acid and β carotene of ripe banana fruits were improved in organic treatments compare to inorganic system. Sensory score of ripe fruits and fruit chips were maximum in organic treatments. The taste of ripe banana fruits was improved in plants grown under organic treatments. Fertigation with organic manures (T8) resulted in improved fruit quality of Nendran banana in both the years. Different soil physical and chemical properties also improved when nutrients were supplied through organic sources. Soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon content, cation exchange capacity, available, N, P, K, Mg, Iron, Copper, Zinc, Mn and boron were better in soils receiving organic manures alone. Similarly the soil biological properties like dehydrogenase activity, nitrogenase activity, microbial biomass carbon, and viable counts of total fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes were better in organic treatments. Bulk density of soil was low in soils receiving organic manures alone compared to integrated nutrients. Total uptake of nutrients in organic and integrated nutrient management system was compared. Uptake of N, Ca, S, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu was higher in organic system of cultivation of banana compared to integrated system. Higher benefit cost ratio was recorded banana grown in organic system. The study revealed that organic sources of nutrients improved soil properties and thereby improved growth, yield and quality of banana.ThesisItem Open Access Productivity enhancement of blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) intercropped in coconut gardens(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture,Vellayani, 2021) Pooja, A P; Ameena, MThe research work entitled ‘Productivity enhancement of blackgram (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) intercropped in coconut gardens’ was undertaken at College of Agriculture, Vellayani during 2018-2021. The study aimed to identify shade tolerant blackgram varieties suitable for coconut gardens, to study the effect of foliar nutrition and plant growth regulators on growth and yield of the shade tolerant blackgram varieties intercropped in coconut garden and to work out the economics of cultivation. The investigation was carried out as two experiments: (i) screening of blackgram varieties for shade tolerance, and (ii) performance evaluation of shade tolerant varieties under foliar application of nutrients and growth regulators in rainfed coconut garden. The first experiment was conducted during Rabi 2019-20 in coconut garden having a light intensity equivalent to 50 per cent of that under open condition (56.25 klux), planted at a spacing of 7.6 m x 7.6 m. Seeds of 12 promising blackgram varieties collected from different research stations of south India (Sumanjana, DU 1, DBGV 5, VBN 5, VBN 6, VBN 8, Rashmi, CO 6, TAU 1, TAU 2, Blackgold and AKU 15) and three cultures (Culture 4.5.8, Culture 4.5.18 and Culture 4.6.1), were raised in micro plots laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The crop was raised as per KAU package of practices. The results of the study revealed significant variation in growth characters among the varieties screened for shade tolerance under partial shade in coconut garden. Plants of DBGV 5 were significantly taller (96.89 cm) with higher initial number of leaves at all the stages and was on par with Sumanjana and CO 6. Higher leaf area index (LAI) and leaf area duration were recorded in CO 6 (5.77, 65.66 days) and DBGV 5 (5.36, 58.40 days) followed by Sumanjana. Early flowering was observed in Sumanjana (34.33 days) and DBGV 5 (36.33 days). The variety DBGV 5 had the highest photosynthetic rate and resulted in significantly more pods per plant (23.67) which was on par with CO 6, VBN 5, VBN 6, Sumanjana and Rashmi. DBGV 5 produced the highest seed yield per plant (5.44 g) followed by VBN 5 and Sumanjana. Haulm yield per plant was higher for DBGV 5 (19 g) and was on par with VBN 5, Sumanjana and CO 6. The variety DBGV 5 produced the highest seed yield (1183 kg ha-1 ) followed by VBN 5, Sumanjana and CO 6. A higher harvest index of 0.24 was recorded by Sumanjana which was on par with DBGV 5 and VBN 6. Among the varieties screened, five varieties which performed better in terms of yield per unit area under the partial shade in coconut garden viz., DBGV 5, VBN 5, Sumanjana, CO 6 and VBN 6 were selected for experiment II undertaken in summer 2020 followed by the confirmatory trial during Rabi 2020 -21. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with five varieties (v1 - Sumanjana, v2 - DBGV 5,v3 - VBN 5,v4 - VBN 6,v5 - CO 6) as main plot treatments and six foliar sprays of nutrients and plant growth regulators as subplot treatments (f1: 19:19:19 (1%) at 45 and 60 DAS, f2: SOP (0.5%) at 45 and 60 DAS, f3: NAA 40 mg L-1 and salicylic acid 100 mg L-1 at pre-flowering (30-45 DAS) and 15 days later, f4: f3 + f1, f5: f3 + f2 and f6: Control - KAU POP). Among the varieties, Sumanjana (v1) grew taller during both the seasons and was comparable with CO 6 and DBGV 5 at harvest. Sumanjana produced higher number of branches with more number of leaves during both the seasons. At flowering, higher LAI, number and dry weight of nodules per plant were realized by Sumanjana and was on par with CO 6 (v5) in summer and DBGV 5 (v2) in Rabi. Sumanjana exhibited the highest crop growth rate (CGR) and relative growth rate (RGR) during both the seasons at 45-60 DAS. However, DBGV 5 recorded the highest net assimilation rate (NAR) between 30-45 DAS and 45-60 DAS during both the seasons. The highest chlorophyll content was recorded by DBGV 5 (1.96 mg g-1 fresh tissue) during summer and by Sumanjana (2.36 mg g-1 fresh tissue) during Rabi. The highest stomatal conductance (30.22 m moles m-2 s -1 and 28.34 m moles m-2 s -1 ) and lower stomatal index (15.16% and 13.34%) were recorded in Sumanjana during both the seasons. The variety Sumanjana flowered earlier compared to other varieties during both the seasons and produced the highest number of pods per plant (27.30 and 26.54). Hundred seed weight was significantly higher for DBGV 5 (5.01 g and 4.92 g) and remained at par with Sumanjana (4.99 g and 4.88 g) during both the seasons. Seed yield, haulm yield and total dry matter production (TDMP) were higher for Sumanjana and comparable with DBGV 5 during both the seasons. Sumanjana recorded higher NPK uptake during both the seasons followed by DBGV 5. The subplot factor foliar spray had significant effect on growth, physiological and yield attributes of blackgram varieties. Foliar spray of 19:19:19 (1%) at 45 and 60 DAS + foliar spray of NAA 40 mg L-1 and SA 100 mg L-1 at pre-flowering and 15 days later (f4) resulted in significantly taller plants, more number of branches and leaves. The highest CGR, RGR (at 45-60 DAS), LAI, number and dry weight of nodules per plant at flowering were recorded in f4 during both the seasons. During summer, f3, f4 and f5 recorded higher NAR between 45-60 DAS. Higher chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance were recorded by f4 during both the seasons. Plants supplied with f3 attained 50 per cent flowering earlier and was on par with f5 during both the seasons. Highest number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight, seed yield, haulm yield and TDMP were recorded by f4 during both seasons. The grain protein content was improved by f4 and was on par with f3, f1 and f5. The NPK uptake was higher in f4 and was on par with f3 and f5 during summer. Significantly higher organic carbon, available N and P was recorded in f4. Among the treatment combinations, Sumanjana (v1) with f4 produced taller plants at two months after sowing (MAS), higher number of branches and leaves per plant during summer and Rabi. Leaf area index, number of nodules and dry weight of nodules at flowering were higher for v1f4 followed by v2f4. Sumanjana in combination with f4 measured significantly higher CGR and RGR (at active growth stages), highest chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance and lower stomatal index during both the seasons. The variety Sumanjana with f4 produced superior number of pods per plant (30.24 and 29.40) and hundred seed weight during summer and Rabi. A higher seed yield was realized in v1f4 (1750 kg ha-1 ) which was on par with v2f4 (1713 kg ha-1 ) during summer. Seed yield was the highest (1700 kg ha-1 ) in v1f4 during Rabi. Haulm yield and TDMP recorded were higher for v1f4 and was on par with v2f4 during both the seasons. The available N status in soil was higher during both the seasons in v1f4 with the highest NPK uptake during Rabi. Sumanjana and DBGV 5 with f4 realized higher mean net income (₹ 70411 ha-1 and ₹ 61256 ha-1 ) and mean B: C ratio (2.04 and 1.95). The present study identified DBGV 5 and Sumanjana as shade tolerant blackgram varieties with superior growth and yield attributes under partial shade and could be recommended for intercropping in coconut garden. Further, the yield of the shade tolerant varieties could be enhanced by recommended dose of nutrients as per KAU package supplemented with foliar spray of 19:19:19 (1%) at 45 and 60 DAS + foliar spray of NAA 40 mg L-1 and SA 100 mg L-1 at preflowering (35 DAS) and 15 days later. Sumanjana and DBGV 5 raised under partial shade in coconut garden with recommended dose of nutrients supplemented with the above said foliar spray realized higher mean net income and mean B: C ratio.ThesisItem Open Access GIS integrated site-specific fertigation recommendations for Instructional farm, KCAET, Tavanur(Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2021) Subhasree, N; Sajeena, SExcessive application of fertilizers can cause wastage of fertilizer which increases input cost and environmental pollution. Implementation of Precision Agriculture through site specific nutrient management is the best suitable solution to increase nutrient application efficiency and thereby increase crop productivity. Site Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) is the real time feeding of crops with nutrients while recognizing the spatial variability within the fields. In this context a study on “GIS Integrated Site-Specific Fertigation Recommendations for Instructional Farm, KCAET, Tavanur” was conducted. Delineation of the study area was done with the help of cadastral map of KCAET campus and coordinates of the corner of the study which were found using hand held GPS during the study. Sampling points were located by using gridding tool. The soil samples were collected at the 40 sampling points and analysed for the soil chemical properties such as pH, Electric Conductivity, Available Nitrogen, Available Phosphorous, Available Potassium, Boron and Sulphur by using standard methods. Spatial variability maps of soil chemical properties were prepared by using Inverse Distance Weighing method of interpolation tool in spatial analyst tool of Arc tool box in ArcGIS. Based on soil analytical values, site specific nutrient recommendations were calculated to each grid for Coconut, Banana and different vegetables by Site Specific Soil Nutrient Calculator (SSSNC). It is a winForm Windows application created with the help of Objective-C using Visual studio 2019. Based on nutrient index rating given by Meena et al., (2006), potassium and phosphorous were found in the range of ‘medium fertility’ (1.67-2.33), nitrogen and sulphur were under ‘low fertility’ (<1.67) and boron was found to be under high fertility range (>2.33) in the study area. According to the criteria given by Wilding et al., (1985), pH was found to be least variable whereas nitrogen and boron were moderately variable and the remaining parameters such as organic carbon, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur were found to be most variable parameters in the study area. The maps and the Site-Specific Soil Nutrient (SSSN) App which were developed during the study will help farmers to make better site-specific nutrient recommendations. From this study, it can be concluded that implementation of site-specific fertigation recommendations can eliminate the excessive application of fertilizers and a significant amount of fertilizer can be saved when compared to Package of Practice/ adhoc recommendation.ThesisItem Open Access Development and evaluation of small scale hydroponic green fodder production system(Department of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, KCAET, Tavanur, 2021) Adarsha Gopalakrishna Bhat; Jinu, AA research on development and evaluation of small scale hydroponic green fodder production system was conducted in PFDC building of Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology Tavanur. The objective of research work was to develop a small scale hydroponic green fodder production system, testing of developed system under different micro climatic condition and estimation of water use efficiency for different water application method. Three different water application methods mist (I1), micro sprinkler (I2), fogger (I3) were selected. Artificial light source of LED red (L1), LED blue (L2), LED red + blue (L3) and sunlight were taken for the study. Statistical analysis was conducted to understand the significance of different treatments used in the experiment. A working prototype with best treatments observed during the study was built and cost economics were studied. The highest yield was observed in treatment involving fogger irrigation and LED red + blue (2.11 kg/tray) with the highest water use efficiency (515.43 kg/m3 ) compared to other treatments. The results are in accordance to the results found by Bian et al., (2018) and Kobayashi et al., (2013), who also found the highest yield under the combination of red + blue LED. Seed to fodder ratio obtained was 1: 6. Chemical analysis showed higher percentage of crude protein (13.56%) and crude fibre (12.59%) in this treatment. Higher growth of green fodder under artificial light source can be attributed to the continuous supply of energy compared to highly varying sunlight and also the uniform distribution of water by fogger irrigation which maintained favourable condition for fodder growth. Results clearly shows that growing green fodder with artificial light source (LED red + blue) and water supply with fogger can be commended to farmers for achieving better growth of green fodder for domestic animals.ThesisItem Open Access On-farm evaluation of selected cereal fodders in prominent land use systems of Kerala(2021) Shahina, N N; Asha K RajThe field study entitled “On-farm evaluation of selected cereal fodders in prominent land use systems of Kerala” was carried out as two separate experiments in homegarden and coconut garden with livestock component in Madakkathara panchayath, Thrissur, Kerala during 2020-21. The study aimed to evaluate the forage yield and nutritive value of three cereal fodders viz., maize, sorghum, and bajra in major land use systems of Kerala viz., homegarden, coconut garden, and under open conditions with full sunlight. The study also assessed the relative performance of cereal fodders with hybrid napier, the popular fodder grass in Kerala. In each system, the treatments were laid out in Randomized Block Design replicated three times. The crops were cultivated during two different seasons viz., rabi and summer. In homegarden trial, all the crops established well in homegarden and contiguous open areas. In general, the growth parameters of crops were better in the open field. Among crops, maize showed better growth followed by hybrid napier, bajra, and sorghum. In open field, maize recorded significantly higher cumulative green fodder yield (93.27 Mg ha-1 in rabi and 93.32 Mg ha-1 in summer) followed by hybrid napier (70.42 Mg ha-1 in rabi and 79.20 Mg ha-1 in summer), while in homegarden, the yield of maize (57.16 Mg ha-1 and 73.50 Mg ha-1 ) and hybrid napier (60.42 Mg ha-1 in rabi and 73.51 Mg ha-1 in summer) was on par. The productivity of sorghum and bajra was poor in both land use systems. The shade tolerance of fodder grasses in homegarden is in the order; hybrid napier>maize >bajra >sorghum. Dry fodder yields also followed a similar trend. The fodder production was generally higher during the summer season than in rabi. The per day productivity was higher for bajra and maize in both land use systems. The PAR availability in homegarden as compared to open conditions during rabi and summer season was 31.72 and 49.18 percent respectively. Considering the quality aspects of fodder, the crude protein content was higher and crude fibre content was lower in homegarden than in open field, whereas xvii the dry matter and ash content showed the reverse trend. In homegarden and open field, maize had more crude protein content followed by hybrid napier, bajra, and sorghum during both seasons. The order of CF content in homegarden was in the order; maize maize > bajra > sorghum. The dry fodder yields also followed a similar trend. Per day productivity of fodder grasses was noticed more in open contiguous areas as compared to coconut garden. The maximum per day productivity was obtained by bajra and maize in both land management systems. The mean daily PAR transmittance in coconut garden during the rabi and summer season was 55.74 and 56.83 percent respectively. In the second experiment also, the crude protein content was higher and crude fibre content lower in coconut garden, whereas the dry matter and ash content observed more in open fields. In coconut garden, maize had more crude protein content followed by hybrid napier and the crude fibre content was minimum in maize. The ash content was also maximum in maize. The grasses in the coconut garden showed more N content and were recorded highest in maize. The P and K content recorded higher values in open conditions than in coconut garden. The P concentration was maximum in hybrid napier, while K content was highest in fodder bajra. In both systems, maize recorded the highest B: C ratio followed by hybrid napier. xviii Thus, the study indicates that cereal fodder, maize can be successfully and cost effectively cultivated in partially shaded tree-based systems like homegardens and coconut gardens with minimal yield loss. In comparison, yield reduction was higher under homegarden with low PAR transmission (41 percent) than that of coconut garden with higher light availability (56 percent). The study also indicated that maize outperformed hybrid napier both quantitatively and qualitatively under coconut garden with more availability of light, whereas it showed a comparable response in homegarden with intense shade indicating higher shade tolerance of hybrid napier. Bajra showed moderate performance under shady situations whereas sorghum yielded very poor results.ThesisItem Open Access Soil quality index and nutrient balance in rice-rice cropping system under long-term fertilizer experiment(Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, 2021) Drishya, D S; KAU; Thulasi, VLong-term experiments provide the best possible platform for studying the changes in soil properties and processes, identifying emerging trends in nutrient imbalances and deficiencies and help to formulate future strategies for maintaining soil health and quality. The present study entitled “Soil quality index and nutrient balance in rice-rice cropping system under Long Term Fertilizer Experiment” was undertaken at RARS, Pattambi and College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara. The objectives were set out to estimate soil quality index and NPK balance in rice-rice cropping system as affected by nutrient management practices under Long Term Fertilizer Experiment. The Long Term Fertilizer Experiment (LTFE) in rice-rice cropping system maintained (since 1997) at RARS Pattambi has been laid out in RBD consists of 12 treatments viz.,T1 : 50 per cent NPK, T2 : 100 per cent NPK, T3 : 150 per cent NPK, T4 : 100 per cent NPK + 600 kg ha -1 CaCO3 , T5 : 100 per cent NPK, T6 : 100 per cent NP, T7 : 100 per cent N, T8 : 100 per cent NPK + Farm Yard Manure (FYM) @ 5 t ha -1 , T9 : 50 per cent NPK + FYM @ 5 t ha -1 , T10 : 100 per cent NPK + in situ growing of Sesbania aculeata, T11 : 50 per cent NPK + in situ growing of Sesbania aculeata and T12 : Absolute control (No fertilizer or manures). The soil samples from 0-15 cm depth were collected from the different treatments of LTFE after the harvest of Virippu crop, 2020 and were analysed for various physical, chemical and biological properties. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to arrive at the Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Soil Quality Index (SQI) was formulated for different nutrient management practices. Integrated nutrient management with FYM and in situ green manuring with daincha recorded higher grain and straw yields of rice. The increase in fertilizer load into the soil resulted in increase in yields while the omission of primary nutrients resulted as decline in yields. Integrated Nutrient Management practice (INM) of application of FYM along with 100 percent NPK had lower bulk density (1.17 Mg m-3 ) and higher water holding capacity (43.65 %), higher levels of available nutrients and enzyme activities in the soil. However, dehydrogenase activity did not follow the same trend as that of microbial biomass carbon in treatments wherein fertilizers alone were applied indicating the chances of shift in the microbial populations as a result of the long term application of nutrient management practices. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed for 28 soil attributes to develop the MDS and SQI was formulated using non linear scoring method. The MDS included bulk density, porosity, soil pH, permanganate oxidizable carbon, available N, total N, available sulphur, microbial biomass carbon, acid phosphatase and aryl sulfatase activities. The SQI ranged from 1.82 to 3.01. The SQI declined in the order of: T8> T10 >T9> T11> T4> T3> T2= T1> T5> T6 >T7> T12. The highest SQI was observed in T8 where 100 per cent NPK and FYM were applied. When the dosage of fertilizers was increased from 50% to 100% NPK on integration with FYM, the SQI increased. The soil quality index of the INM treatments (55.50 to 62.11%) and lime incorporation (52.98%) were categorized under medium category as per the computed Relative SQI (RSQI) values. The virippu crop (2020) under LTFE maintained at RARS Pattambi was monitored and various inputs and outputs regarding primary nutrients were assessed for balance predictions using NUTMON toolbox. The NUTMON toolbox includes five inflows, viz., mineral fertilizers (IN1), manure (IN2), atmospheric deposition (IN3), biological N fixation (IN4), and sedimentation (IN5), and five outflows, viz., harvested product (OUT1), crop residues (OUT2), leaching (OUT3), gaseous losses (OUT4), and erosion (OUT5). Nutrient flows like fertilizers, manures, crop residues and harvested outputs were monitored and measured during the experiment. Other flows like nitrogen fixation, leaching, and erosion were estimated by means of regression models from the data related to climate and crop parameters. Available NPK content of soils, rice grain, straw, stubbles, weeds and all inputs were analysed and stored in background database. The data were fed into the data processing module of the NUTMON toolbox to arrive at the partial and total balance of N, P and K in the experimental soil. The total balance of N, P and K were found to decline in order of: T3>T7>T8>T6>T5>T2>T4>T10>T9>T1>T11>T12 for N, T3>T8>T6>T10>T2>T5>T4>T9>T1>T11>T12>T7 for P and T3>T2>T5>T8>T9>T10>T4>T11>T1>T12>T7>T6 for K Summarizing the results, integrated nutrient management with FYM and in situ green manuring with daincha recorded higher yield and available nutrients in the soil. The incorporation inorganic fertilizers with FYM, daincha and lime maintain the soil quality index in the long run while, SQI was poor in control, imbalanced nutrition as well as in treatments where only fertilizers were incorporated. The balance sheet of P establishes the need for maintenance dose of P fertilizers in rice-rice cropping system. The negative balance of N and K indicate the need for supplementing the nitrogen pool and the possibility of mining of K on long term intensive cropping, respectively. Further study should be focused on monitoring the soil quality index at regular intervals and analyzing the effect of nutrient management practices on microbial diversity in rhizosphere and phyllosphere.ThesisItem Open Access Modelling habitat suitability and climate change impacts on endemic birds of Southern Western Ghats, Kerala, India(Department of wildlife sciences, College of Forestry,Vellanikkara, 2021) Sreehari K Mohan; KAU; Nameer, P O
