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Department of Agricultural Meteorology
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Agricultural Meteorology
Genesis
The Department of Agricultural Meteorology is a statutory department and established in 1988. Two-year - postgraduate Programme “M.Sc. (Ag.) in Agricultural Meteorology” was commenced during the academic year 1994-95 with an intake capacity of two students, including one reserved for ICAR. Later, the intake capacity has enhanced to four from 2018-19 onwards (three state and one ICAR). So far, twenty one students were awarded the PG Degree from this department. Out of twenty one, sixteen students qualified in the NET, conducted by ICAR
Vision/ Objective
To impart and maintain quality in education, research and extension activities in the field of Agricultural Meteorology
Mandate
- To impart teaching in Agricultural Meteorology at the Graduate level
- To undertake Post Graduate Programme in Agricultural Meteorology
- To initiate and augment agromet database
- To carry out research on basic and applied aspects of agroclimatology, including climate change impacts
- To study the influence of weather on insect pest and diseases of major crops
- To disseminate weekly agromet advisory bulletin based on Medium Range Weather Forecast
- To provide short term training in basic meteorological observations and applied meteorological aspects to agricultural service personnel and farmers
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Facilities
- Principal Agromet Observatory: The principal Agrometeorological Observatory was established on 18.10.1979 under the Department. The observations (Rainfall, Maximum and Minimum temperature, Dry and wet bulb temperature, Sunshine hours, Wind speed and direction, Relative humidity, Soil temperature, Evaporation, Dew etc.) are taken in four times a day viz. 0700 hrs LMT, 0830 hrs IST,1400 hrs LMT and 1730 hrs IST. The complete set of weather data is available from 1983 onwards
- Agromet Lab: The lab maintains agromet instruments for the research and education
- Class room: With audio-visual aids
- Faculty strength:
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Sl. No.
Name
Designation
1
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
Assistant Professor and Head
2
Dr. P. Lincy Davis
Assistant Professor
Awards / Recognitions:
- Young Scientist Award in the 22nd Swadeshi Science Congress held at CPCRI Kasaragod during November 6-8, 2012 (Ms. Karthika).
- Award for the very good work of the observer and very good grade award for the observatory during 2013-14 and 2014-15 (Mr. T. P. Gangadharan).
- First runner-up award for poster presentation-NASA 2014(International symposium) held at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, during October 16-18, 2014 (Dr. B. Ajithkumar).
- Award for the excellent work of the observer and very excellent grade award for the observatory during 2015-16 ((Mr. T. P. Gangadharan).
- Best paper award for the paper presentation at AGMET 2016 at TNAU, Coimbatore (Ms. Aswathy C.).
- Best poster presentation award during the National Seminar – AGMET-2017 held at CCS HAU, Hisar during 12-14, October 2017 (Arjun Vysakh).
- Haritham Krishi Jwala Award for the best Agrometeorologist during 2017-18 (Dr. B. Ajithkumar)
- Best oral presentation award during the International Seminar – INAGMET-2019 held at JNU, New Delhi during 11-13, February 2019 (Ms. Harithalekshmi V.).
- Nominated for the International Agriculture and Rural Development (IARD) short course to be held during October 2018 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York (Ms. Anunayana T. John).
- Achievements / Major Accomplishments
- Daily recording of different weather parameters from the Principal Agrometeorological Observatory of the Department and a sound database is maintained since 1983.
- Preparation of Agromet Advisory Bulletins and timely dissemination to farmers.
- Agro climatic resource characterization of Kerala has completed.
- Agro climatic atlas for Kerala has been prepared.
- Crop weather relationships studies were conducted for major crops viz. rice, black pepper, cauliflower, tomato, cowpea etc.
- Genetic coefficients were developed for rice varieties viz. Jyothi, Kanchana, Athira and Vysakh and Jaya by using the crop weather model CERES-Rice (DSSAT).
- The relationship of weather on pest and disease in rice and cowpea was studied.
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ACADEMICS
List of Courses offered
Under graduate level
Catalogue No.
Course Title
Credit
Agmt 1101
Introductory Agro-meteorology and climate change
1+1
Bass 1208
Climate Science [B.Sc.(Hons.) Forestry]
1+1
Ssac 2104
Environmental Studies & Disaster Management
1+1
Post graduate level
Catalogue No.
Course Title
Credit
AGM 501
Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climatology
2+1
AGM 502
Fundamentals of Agricultural Meteorology
2+1
AGM 503
Micrometeorology
2+1
AGM 504
Agro-meteorological measurements and instrumentation
1+2
AGM 506
Crop weather models
1+2
AGM 507
Weather modification and risk management strategies
2+0
AGM 508
Principles of remote sensing and its applications in agriculture
2+1
EXTENSION SERVICES:
- Dissemination of Agromet Advisory Bulletins to the farmers of four district viz., Thrissur,Palakkad, Ernakulam and Malappuram using medium range weather forecasting
- Agromet Advisory bulletins for Kerala are preparing and sending to IMD and ICAR
- Regular field visits to the farmers field
- Conducting of farmer’s awareness programme on Climate change and Agriculture through out Kerala to educate farmers as well as to the students community
- Installation of raingauges at different farmers’ house to educate them about rainfall variability and climate change
- Installation and inspection of agromet instruments in other stations of KAU
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Projects:
Completed Projects (State Planning Board):
Name of project
Name of PI
Funding agency
Budget (Lakhs)
Period
Crop weather relation studies in banana (Nendran) under the changing climate (Central Region)
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
State Planning Board
0.87 Lakhs
2018-19
Indigenous technical knowledge of weather and climate in relation with agriculture and forecasting in northern and high range zone of Kerala
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
State Planning Board
1.6 Lakhs
2018-19
Establishment of pest and disease surveillance and forewarning units in the central zone
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
State Planning Board
1.7 Lakhs
2018-19
Ongoing Projects (State Planning Board):
Name of project
Name of PI
Funding agency
Budget (Lakhs)
Period
Intensification of Agromet Advisory Services in the central zone of Kerala
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
State Planning Board
4.0 Lakhs
2018-19 and 2019-20
Ongoing Projects (external aided):
Name of project
Name of PI
Funding agency
Budget (Lakhs)
Period
AICRP on Agrometeorology
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
ICAR-CRIDA
19.61 Lakhs (75% of total) (ICAR share)
2019-20
AICRPAM-NICRA (National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture)
Dr. B. Ajithkumar
ICAR-CRIDA
6.40 Lakhs
2019-20
Gramin Krishi Mausam Seva (GKMS)
Dr. P. Lincy davis
(Principal Nodal Officer – Dr. B. Ajithkumar)
MoES-IMD
11.34 Lakhs
2019-20
Forecasting Agricultural Outputusing Space Agrometeorology and Land based observations (FASAL)
Dr. P. Lincy davis
(Principal Nodal Officer –Dr. B. Ajithkumar)
4.2 Lakhs
2018-19 (Continuing)
Important Publications (last five years)
Research papers (21 Nos.)
B. Ajithkumar and P.P. Sreekala. 2015. Rainfall variability over Kerala. J. of Agric. Meteorology. 17(2):273-275
C. Laly Jhon and B. Ajithkumar. 2015. Probability models for weekly rainfall at Thrissur. J. of trop. agric. 53(1):56-62.
B. Ajithkumar, G. Subramanyam and Arjun Vysakh. 2015. Rainfall analysis for crop planning in Thrissur district. Green farming. 6(3):650-652.
Naziya, B.Ajithkumar, Laly John C. and K. V. Ajayan. (2015). Weather induced changes on yield and yield components of rice in central zone of Kerala. J. of Agric. Physics 15(1): 74-81.
Arjun vysakh, B. Ajithkumar, Naziya and Laly John. 2016.Response of rice (O.sativa) to changing weather conditions. Green Farming.7(5):1232-1235.
V. P. Karthika, B. Ajithkumar, and C. Laly John. 2016. A fundamental study to identify the suitable cropping period for cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and to asses the impact of various weather parameters on its cultivation in central Kerala. Res. J.of Agric.Sci. 7(4/5):783-786.
Arjun Vysakh, B. Ajithkumar and A. V. M. Subbarao. 2016. Evaluation of CERES rice model for the selected rice varieties of Kerala. J. of Agric.Meteorology. 18(1):120-123.
B. Ajithkumar, P. P. Sreekala, M. A. S.Chandran and V. M. Sandeep (2017).Temporal and spatial variability of drought in Kerala. Contemporary Res. in India.7(1):11-17.
B. Ajithkumar, Arjun Vysakh and P. P. Sreekala. 2017. Effect of El Nino on rainfall and thermal regime of Kerala. Contemporary Res.in India.7(2):279-285.
Arjun Vysakh, B. Ajithkumar and J. Venkat Satish. 2017. Effect of dates of planting on crop water requirement of rice in Kerala. J. of Agric. Meteorology. 19 (Special Issue - AGMET 2016): 51-54.
Sushna K and B Ajithkumar. 2017. Influence of Weather Parameters on Growth of Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.). Contemporary. Res. in India. 7(2):169-173.
J. Venkat Satish, B. Ajithkumar, C. Laly John and Arjun Vysakh. 2017. Heat units requirement for different rice varieties in the Central Zone of Kerala. Contemporary Res.in India.7(3): 1-6.
Sushna K and B Ajithkumar. 2018. Influence of Weather Parameters on the productivity of Black Pepper. Res.J.of Agric.Sci. 9(1):09-13.
B. Ajithkumar and Arjun Vysakh. 2018. Trends in seasonal and annual rainfall and rainy days (1991-2012) over Kerala. Contemporary Res.in India.8(2): 64-69.
Arjun Vysakh and B. Ajithkumar. 2018. Length of growing period: A comparative study with normal and drought years in Kerala. J. of Agric. Meteorology. 20 (Special Issue): 216-220.
S. Navyashree and B. Ajithkumar. 2018. Assessment of agricultural and meteorological drought and agricultural planning using incomplete gamma distribution in Kerala. J. of Agric. Meteorology. 20 (Special Issue): 262-265.
Athira Ravindran, B. Ajithkumar, Arjun Vysakh and S. Navyashree. 2018. Crop weather calendar for paddy: A useful tool for crop planning. J. of Agric. Meteorology. 20 (Special Issue): 213-215.
B. Ajithkumar and Arjun Vysakh. 2018. Validation and assessment of agro advisories issued based on medium range weather forecast for Thrissur district of Kerala. Int. J. Agric. Sci. 10(15): 6824-6828.
B. Ajithkumar and Arjun Vysakh. 2018. Impact of El Nino on crop productivity in Kerala. Res.J.of Agric.Sci. 9(5):1041-1045.
G. Subramanyam, K. M. Sunil and B. Ajithkumar. 2018.Climate change impact on summer rice production in central agro-climatic zone of Kerala under different RCP’s. J. Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 7(1): 1724-1728.
G. Subramanyam, K. M. Sunil, B. Ajithkumar and Ajayan K. V. 2019. Climate Change Impact on Kharif Rice Production in Central Agro-Climatic Zone of Kerala under Different Representative Concentration Pathways. Environ. and Ecol. 37 (1) : 143—148.
List of books/Technical Bulletins (6 Nos.)
B. Ajithkumar, V. P. Karthika and V.U.M.Rao (2014). Crop Weather Relationships in Cauliflower.
B. Ajithkumar, P. Lincy Davis, V. P. Karthika, K. V. Ajayan, Arjun Vysakh, and G. Subramanyam (2014). Agrometeorological instruments.
B. Ajithkumar, Sajan Kurian, V.U.M.Rao, P.P. Sreekala, C. Vishnu and Rakesh Sekhar (2015). Technical bulletin on Agroclimatic Atlas of Kerala
B. Ajithkumar, Arjun Vysakh, P.P. Sreekala, G.S.L.H.V. Prasada Rao, Sajan Kurian, V.U.M.Rao and P. Vijayakumar (2016). Technical bulletin on Agrometeorology of Coconut in Kerala, KAU Press.
B. Ajithkumar, Sajan Kurian, P.P. Sreekala, Arjun Vysakh and P. Vijayakumar (2017). Technical bulletin on El Nino: Its impact on climatic variability and crop production in Kerala.
B. Ajithkumar, P. Indira Devi, Arjun Vysakh, P. Vijayakumar, AVM Subba Rao and P. Lincy davis (2018). Technical bulletin on Extreme weather events in Kerala.
KAU Main Websites
Translations
Address
:+91-487-2438301