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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