PG Thesis
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Item Development and performance evaluation of a tractor operated tapioca(Department of farm machinery and power engineering, kelappaji college of agricultural engineering and technology,Tavanur, 2023-09-19) Kalyan Chakravarthi, N L.; Jayan, P RItem Nonlinear models for major crops of Kerala(Department of Agricultural Statistics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2007) Joshy, C G; Krishnan, SNonlinear modelling techniques are the most suited tools for describing any time series phenomenon. Among the various nonlinear models in vogue monomolecular, logistic, gompertz and mixed-influence models find a prominent place. With this idea the agricultural scenario of Kerala was measured through the three important descriptors namely area, production and productivity of the major crops viz; coconut, rubber, paddy, pepper, tapioca, cashew and banana for all the districts and the state as such. Monomolecular model was the most apt model in most of the cases. The data sets were further explored based on the carrying capacity achieved by 2002-03 coupled with intrinsic growth rate. When none of the nonlinear models were found satisfactory either simple linear regression model or quadratic model was tried to explore the nature of trend. Coconut production was found to have reached its near maximum in all the districts where it was a major crop but the productivity figures gave a warning note for increasing the productivity. Rubber was found to be one of the most gifted crops, which was not devoid of proper attention. Even with this stature, production of rubber can be improved through uniform management practices. Usually nonlinear and quadratic models aptly describe a time series data on crop production. It is astonishing that simple linear regression model aptly described the paddy production in the state. The regressive value of the regression coefficients indicated that paddy production in the state is facing extinction.Paddy production in the state has at least to be protected. The lack of fit of most of the nonlinear models and even quadratic models to the data of pepper production indicate the various devastating hazards that the crop faced with. These contrasting features bring out the fact that pepper cultivation be not allowed to be toyed with. The area specific crops like cashew, cardamom, coffee and banana be made nonspecific through innovative technologies. A concerted effort with valid stresses specific to each crop will make the agricultural scenario bright.Item Growth and Carcass Characteristics of Pigs Maintained on Rations Containing Different Levels of Dried Tapioca Chips(Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,Mannuthy, 1981) Sasikala Devi, K A; Thomas, C TAn investigation was carried out to assess the growth rate, feed efficiency, carcass quality and economics of production in swine with isoproteimic rations containing dried tapioca chips in partial or complete replacement of maize. Eighteen large White Yorkshire weanling pigs were divided into three groups (Group 1, 11 and 111) of six animals each as uniformly as possible in regard to litter, sex, age and weight and maintained on three isoproteimic diets A, B and C containing 0, 20 and 40 per cent levels respectively of dried tapioca chips in partial and complete replacement of maize. Records of feed intake, fortnightly body weights and body measurements were maintained throughout the course of the experiment. Digestibility coefficients of nutrients in the rations were determined. Two males and two females each from all the three groups were slaughtered when they attained the body weight of 70 kg for collecting data on carcass characteristics. Haematological studies were also carried out to assess the nutritional status of the animals. The animals under all the three dietary treatments recorded almost similar growth rates, the overall average daily gains being 385.9, 368.0 and 380.2 g respectively for the three groups 1, 11 and 111. The total food intake of the animals were similar indicating that the three rations, in addition to being isoproteimic, were also isocaloric and of almost equal palatability. The animals also showed similar feed conversion efficiency, the overall average values being 3.59, 3.62 and 3.57 respectively for the groups 1, 11 and 111. The digestibility coefficients of nutrients in the three rations were similar indicating that dried tapioca chips was as efficiently utilised as maize. The normal and similar values for blood constituents indicated that all the animals maintained normal nutritional status and inclusion of tapioca at levels as used in the present study did not exert any deleterious effect on the health of the animals. Results of studies on carcass characteristics revealed that the dressing percentage without head, carcass length, back fat thickness, loin – eye area and percentages of prime cuts against live weight were all found to be similar with both tapioca and maize based diets. The diets used did not seem to markedly influence the melting point of body fat though there was significant difference between subcutaneous and leaf fat indicating a greater unsaturation of subcutaneous fat. Saponification values were found to be similar with all the three diets. With respect to both subcutaneous and leaf fat, iodine number was higher on maize based diets though there was significant difference only in regard to subcutaneous fat. Cost of production per kg live weight of the animals in the three groups 1, 11 and 111 were shown to be Rs.8.20, 8.19 and 7.99 respectively. An overall evaluation of results clearly indicated that dried tapioca chips can be safely and profitably incorporated in swine rations at a level of 40 per cent in place of conventional cereal grains like maize.Item Selection parameters in tapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz)(Department of Agricultural Botany, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1980) Radhakrishnan, V V; Gopakumar, KDuring a biometrical study conducted on 20 divergent types of tapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) in the premises of Central Tuber Crops Research Institute at Trivandrum, as a postgraduate programme of the Kerala Agricultural University, useful informations on the selection parameters become available. Accordingly, it was found that harvest index should be the best reliable criterion for effecting selection in favour of a desirable genotype from among others in a genetically heterogenic base population. Further, it is proposed that potentially high tuber yielders in the crop could be identified among relatively short statured ones with more number of large sized leaves that have become completely developed sufficiently early during development of the shoot. In addition , a tendency for relatively more number of leaves to become abscissed towards the time of harvest should also be considered as a positive sign of high tuber yieldItem Intercropping tapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) with pulses and groundnut(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1978) Ramakrishna Bhat, H; Sadanandan, NAn experiment was conducted in the College of Agriculture, Vellayani during the year 1977-1978 to study the performance of tapioca intercropped with different legumes (Blackgram, cowpea, greengram and groundnut) applied with different fertilizer, half the recommended dose and full recommeded dose). The experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with three replications. The experiment was conducted under rainfed conditions. The results revealed that the growth as measured from height and number of leaves and yield of tapioca as adjudged by the various yield attributes was not depressed by growing the four legumes at the three levels of fertilizers. On the other hand the quality and size of tapioca tubers were improved due to legume intercropping. The dry matter content, starch content and the HCN content of tapioca tubers were increased significantly due to growing of legumes in association with tapioca.Item Studies on foliar diagnosis, yield and quality of Tapioca (Manihot utilissima Pohl.) in relation to nitrogen and phosphorus(Division of Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Vellayani, 1968) Vijayan, M R; Subramonia Aiyer, NAn investigation was carried out at the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Vellayani during the year 1966-68 to evolve a suitable diagnostic technique for the nutritional status of nitrogen and phosphorus in two varieties of tapioca (M-4 and H-105) by foliar analysis. The response of the two varieties to graded doses of nitrogen (0.75 and 150 kg. N/ha.) and phosphorus (0.50 and 100 kg. P2O5/ha.) and their interaction in relation to the pattern of uptake, yield and quality of tubers were also investigated. Potassium and calcium were kept constant at 250 kg and 1200 kg. per hectare respectively. A split - plot experiment in R.B.D. with three levels each of nitrogen and phosphorus in factorial combinations as major treatments and with the two varieties as minor treatments, was laid out. Leaf leminae and peticles each grouped into three morphological categories. were used for testing the suitability for the diagnostic analysis. The plant part thus standardised (reflect) was analysed at three stages of growth for nutrient content. Biometric observations were recorded at three stages of growth. Yield components and quality factors of tuber were assessed in relation to nutrition of the plants.Item Studies on the bacterial blight (Wilt) of Tapioca incited by Xanthomonas manihotis (Arthaud-Berthet) Starr(Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1979) Mani T Cherian; James MathewThe bacterial blight of tapioca, incited by Xanthomonas manihotis (Arthaud-Berthet) Starr, probably the most serious of all the diseases recorded on the plant, was reported sporadically from different parts of Kerala since 1975. The disease is characterised by loss of turgidity, shrivelling and wilting of leaves, gum extraction, die-back and death of shoots, vascular discolouration of stem and roots and damage and decay of tubers. The pathogen was confirmed to be Xanthomonas manihotis from morphological, physiological and biochemical studies coupled with symptomatology and host specificity. The pathogenicity was confirmed on tapioca using different methods of artificial inoculation, of which inoculation after nipping the bud was found to be the best.Item Crop geometry studies in tapioca based intercropping system(Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1984) Anilkumar, A S; Sasidhar, V KAn experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 1982-83 to study the effect of intercropping groundnut and cowpea with tapioca and to identify the most suitable spatial arrangement of crops in the tapioca and to identify the most suitable spatial arrangement of crops in the tapioca based intercropping system. The study also helped to find out the possibilities of changing the geometry of planting of tapioca from the normal method to the paired row pattern. The experiment with eight treatments was carried out in randomised block design with three replications under rainfed conditions.Item Studies on the response of N P and K in conjunction with C2 on the growth, yield and quality of tapioca (Manihot utilissima Pohl) var "Malayan-4"(Division of Agronomy, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Vellayani, 1967) Gopala Krishna Pillai, K; George, C MAn experiment was conducted in the red loam soils of the central farm attached to the Agricultural College and Research Institute , Vellayani during the year 1966-1967 , to study the response of graded doses of nitrogen (50, 100 and 150 kg per hectare) phosphorus (0,50 and 100 kg per hectare), Potash (100,150 and 200 kg per hectare) and calcium (0,600 and 1200 kg per hectre) in factorial combinations, on the growth , yield and quality of a popular improved variety of tapioca , "Malayan-4". A 3 confounded factorial experiment was laid out, with 81 treatment combinationsItem Economic analysis of production, marketing and price behavior of tapioca(Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, 2018) Athira, E; Jesy Thomas, KTapioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a staple food crop cultivated in several developing countreis around the globe. Among the tropical root and tuber crops, tapioca stands first in terms of area and production. India is the tenth largest producer of tapioca with production of 8.10 million tonnes from an area of 2.17 lakh hectares. India acquires its significance in global tapioca economy due to highest productivity in the world (36.4 t/ha). Among Indian states Kerala stands second in production of tapioca. The area under tapioca was showing a declining trend from the eighties which has resulted in stagnant production. In the above background, the present study was carried out with the objective of analysing the trend in area, production and productivity and price behaviour of tapioca, estimating the economics and resource use efficiency of tapioca production, identifying the marketing channels, estimating marketing costs, margins and marketing efficiency and finding out the major constraints in production and marketing of tapioca in Kerala. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The time series data on area, production and productivity of tapioca in Kerala and India for a period of 1950-51 to 2016-17 were collected to study the trend and growth rate. Monthly average prices of tapioca in various markets of Kerala were collected to evaluate the trend and price behaviour of tapioca over the period 2002 to 2018. Primary data was collected form 120 selected farmers of Kollam district and Malappuram district using pretested interview schedule by personal interview method. Trend analysis was done to understand the growth pattern of tapioca in terms of area, production and productivity both at national and state level from 1950-51 to 2016-17. In India production and productivity of tapioca showed an increasing trend but the area was showing a declining trend. In the case of Kerala, similar trend was observed with negative growth in area for the entire period of study, but the growth for the entire period of study, but the growth rate in production was positive due to high and positive growth rate in productivity. The price behavior of tapioca in major markets of Kerala viz., Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Chalai were analyzed by decomposing the monthly price data into four components viz., secular trend, seasonal variation, cyclical variation and irregular variation assuming a multiplicative model of time series. The price of tapioca in these markets showed an increasing trend in the long run. While analyzing the seasonal variation it was noticed that during the entire study period (2002 to 2018), price of tapioca showed wide fluctuations in all the three markets. Due to high fluctuations in price no definite cycles were seen in the market prices. Co-integration analysis of tapioca prices in the above three markets were carried out and it was revealed all the three markets were integrated. In order to provide additional evidence on the direction of price transmission, Granger causality test was carried out and the results proved the existence of causality between Kozhikode and Ernakulam markets in the long run in both the directions. Unidirectional causality was found between Kozhikode and Chalai markets and Ernakulam and Chalai markets. The cost and returns were estimated using ABC cost concepts. The cost of cultivation per hectare was Rs.1, 54,619 with a net return of Rs. 43,190. It was noted that human labour accounted for 48.50 per cent of the total cost. To evaluate resource use efficiency in tapioca cultivation, Cobb-Douglas production function was fitted. Human labour and experience in farming were found to be significantly and experience in tapioca cultivation, Cobb-Douglas production function was fitted. Human labour and experience in farming were found to be significantly contributing towards the yield. Moreover, an increasing returns to scale in tapioca production was observed in the study area which implies that there is ample scope to increase the profit of farmers by proper adoption of technology and by optimal allocation of resources. Marketing plays a predominant role in agricultural development and is as important as production to any producer. Thus, an efficient marketing system can increase the level of income of producers and raise the satisfaction of cosumers. The most common marketing channel identified in the study area was channel I (Producer-village trader-wholesaler-retailer-consumer) with a marketing efficiency of 2.0, while channel IV (Producer-consumer) was found to be the most efficient channel (6.45) as there were no intermediaries. Major production constraints identified were high labour cost and labour shortage and the marketing constraints were low price and distress sale to traders. The future of tapioca lies in the promotion of diversified uses of tapioca, especially in the industrial sector so policy intervention to encourage potential entrepreneurs to start industries to produce diverse value added products from tapioca is needed to tackle these problems.