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KERALA
AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
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The
research initiatives undertaken in the University are focused on increasing
the productivity of crops, livestock and fish currently grown in the state.
This
is achieved through
- manipulation
of the genetic base responsible both for yield enhancement and overcoming
biotic and abiotic stresses
- improvements
in the management practices
- control
and management of pests, diseases and parasites
- increasing
the efficiency of the biophysical and human resources, and inputs as well,
used in production
- the
introduction of new crops, animals, and machines
- evaluating
and designing policies, programmes, institutions and infrastructure, and analysing
and appraising the value systems
- the
gender equation which are conducive or inhibitory to the adoption of technologies
and innovations evolved through research.
Recognising the significance of location specific research, given the highly
heterogeneous biophysical resource base of the state as a consequence of high
rainfall coupled with undulating topography, research agenda is orgainsed into
six agroecological zones based agroecological homogeneity, and conducted in
six Regional Research Stations. For each of the given biophysical resource endowment,
a system approach incorporating crop, livestock, forestry and fishery activities
in resource use and management so as to maximise income on a sustainable basis,
is pursued in research. Commodity research is focused on thrust areas, which
have been identified as critical in alleviating abiotic and biotic constraints
and in optimising potentials.
The
research agenda is set through consultations with the farming community and
the extension personnel as well as based on need assessment by the faculty,
and the state and national agencies and institutions engaged in development
and research. Prioritisation and relevance are set by the Faculty Research Committees.
The Research Council comprised of eminent scientists and representatives of
various interest groups including farmers and agribusiness, apart from providing
guidance and linkages with institutions engaged in research but also opportunities
for sharing experience guides in setting the research agenda and prioritisation.
Research Review Committee constituted by the Executive Committee provides overseeing.
Task forces and crisis management groups are set up for the timely intervention
for solving the sudden outbursts of field problems. Rapid Action Groups linking
KAU research institutions and the development departments with territories identified
monitor incidence of pests or diseases or other natural outbreaks and to take
timely remedial action at various levels of the Government and the University.
Recommendations
on crop, livestock, fishery and forestry production technologies emerging from
research within the institutions under the University and sister research organisation
are compiled, discussed and evaluated jointly the extension agencies and other
interest groups, and published periodically at 4-5 year intervals as compendia
known as Package of Practice Recommendations which are recognised as the most
authentic documentation of research outputs.
Research
activities are organised and conducted at :
- Six
Regional Research Stations
- 26
Research Stations
- Three
Centres of Advanced Studies (Animal Breeding and Genetics, Veterinary Pathology,
and Poultry Science)
- One
Centre in Agricultural Biotechnology and Molecular Biology
-
10 Instructional Farms
- and
Facilities and in the laboratories of various departments of the Colleges.
In
addition six centres of research and studies (Gender Concerns in Agriculture,
Land resources Research and Management, Information Technology, Farming
Culture, Elephant Study, and Conservation of Vechchoor Cattle). are in advanced
stages of formation. Location specific research projects are carried out
in farmers' fields also.
The
research support for the sustainable development of the agriculture sector of
the state is rendered in the partnership mode in close association with the
research institutions managed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research,
Development and Commodity Boards, and Departments of the State and Central governments.
Over 700 research projects are currently in operation including 34 All India
Research Co-ordinated Research Projects/ Network projects in the various fields
of agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal sciences and fisheries and externally
aided projects funded by ICAR, ICFR, DST, DBT, NWDPRA, DoE&F, STEC, PPIC, BARC
etc.
Research
undertaken in the University covers all economically important crops grown in
the State with focus on :
- Rice
- Vegetables
- Banana
- Pine
apple
- Pepper
- Coconut
- Cahew
- Cardamom
- Medicinal
and aromatic plants
- Animals
(cattle, goats, pigs and poultry including ducks, elephant)
- Culture
fisheries
- Farm
machines and implements
-
Crop and animal production and management
- Introduction
of new crops and animals
- Farming
systems especially integrated homestead farming
- Conservation
of plant and animal germplasm for preserving biodiversity
- Meat
technology
- Processing
of farm products economics of crop production and
- Commodity
marketing.
Some
of the research findings and outputs of major economic significance from the
fields and laboratories of the Kerala Agricultural University since it came
into being as an entity with an identityare :
- Over
one hundred varieties of crops among them 70 during the nineties, which are
high yielding and capable of withstanding biotic and abiotic stresses under
a variety of biophysical resource environments
- Two
nationally acclaimed breeds of poultry (Athulya and Gramalekshmi);
- Biological
control and suppression of the water weed popularly known African paayal (Salvinia
molesta) that rendered rice production in the rice bowl Kuttanattu using the
tiny weevil Cyrtobagus salviniae
- Technology
with focus on underground drainage for the reclamation of low productive highly
acid sulphate soils of the low wetlands
- Standardisation
of protocols for large scale multiplication by in vitro techniques in several
crops
- Packages
of management practices for the rehabilitation of coconuts in the dreaded
coconut root (wilt) and black pepper phytophthora foot rot disease affected
areas that would help sustain reasonable levels of income
- Control
of coconut mite
- Germplasm
collections in rice, coconut, cocoa, pepper, medicinal and aromatic plants
- Conservation
of the near extinct Vechchoor cattle; permanent manurial trials on coconut
and paddy; high density planting in pine apple and cashew
- Increasing
fertilizer use efficiency and thereby the availability of nutrients through
slow release nitrogen fertilizers
- Development
of technology for the commercial production of cashew apple syrup
- Development
of commercially viable technology for the hatchery production of seeds of
the giant fresh water prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) and its dissemination
through consultancy service
- Standardisation
of integrated fish-rice culture; designing and developing a simple coconut
husking tool
- Designing
and testing of underground check dam for the conservation and preservation
of water suitable to hilly areas
- Standardisation
of isoelectric focussing for the identification of meat from various species
of animals
- Development
of a cell culture duck plague vaccine from a local isolate and recommendation
for simultaneous vaccination with duck pasteurellosis
- Development
of a new mesogenic vaccine strain (RDV-M) for ranikhet disease for commercial
use
- Evaluation
of over 50 unconventional feeds and fodders and their incorporation in commercial
feed mixes
- Standardisation
and wide-spread chemical tranquilization and control of elephants and other
captive and wild animals
- Evolving
of a milk recording system to predict 305 day's milk yield with a few point
observations
- Preparation
of seventeen blood-group antigens for grouping of cattle for progeny testing
programme
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