Welcome to College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Thrissur, India

The Radiotracer Laboratory at Kerala Agricultural University was established in the year 1982. Over the past years this laboratory has served as a central facility for research, employing radioisotopes and radiations for the faculty and students from different institutions of the university. The laboratory is well equipped except for the facility for analysis of stable isotope of nitrogen, N.

Mandate

The lead function is to serve as a common facility in radiotracer aided research in different disciplines of the university and to offer PG courses in radiation and radioisotopes as well as to do the essential research functions, which are complementary to the lead function.

The laboratory is well equipped with facilities for conducting research using radioactive isotopes and radiation in various disciplines of Agriculture, Veterinary, Fisheries, Forestry and other biological sciences including biotechnology. Thus the laboratory functions as a central facility of the University for radioisotope aided research.

Faculty

Dr.P.Sureshkumar, Professor and Head

Experience: 20years of experience in handling radioisotopes in research related to soil fertility and soil chemistry, root activity studies, radioimmuno assay, irradiation of planting materials for mutation and other products for disinfection, disinfestation and for improving shelf life, autoradiography and AFLP.

Dr. P. Sreedevi , Associate Professor, Agronomy

Instrumentation Facility

Gamma Chamber –900

This instrument installed by BARC in 1982 with Co–60 as gamma source and with a capacity of 1 L, is used for irradiation of plant propagule (Seeds, tissues, cuttings, etc.) for inducing mutation, insects for inducing male sterility, processed food and herbal product for disinfestations and different chemicals for radiolytic reactions.

Three in one Counter (TRIATHLER). This is used for radioassay of samples containing beta emitting radioisotopes like ³H, ¹⁴C, ³²P, ³⁵S, ⁴⁵Ca, etc. and for radioassay of samples containing gamma emitting radioisotopes like ⁵⁹Fe, ⁵¹Cr, ⁶⁵Zn, ¹²⁵I, ¹²⁹I, etc.

Autoradiography

An autoradiograph processing and developing lab is available at RTL for developing autoradiographs of radiolabelled specimens.

Green House

A glass house and green house are available for doing pot culture experiments using radioisotopes.

Geographic Information System (GIS)

A centre is established for Land Resources Research and Management with GIS facility, which is at present housed at RTL.

Gas Chromatograph Unit

A Gas Chromatograph Unit (Shimadzu GC 2010) is available for the detection of pesticide residues in different living systems (soil, plant, water, animal body, etc.), which installed at RTL by AICRP on Weed Control Unit.

Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)

This for analysis of micronutrients and heavy metal pollutants.

Publications

No	Name(s) of Authors	Title of the Paper	Name of the Journal	Year
1	P.Sureshkumar R.K.Rattan A.K.Singh	*An innovative soil test method-validation based on a case study with reference to zinc status in soils	Proc. VII Kerala Science Congress,1995,Palakkad, 132-136	1995
2	E.Seena, P.Sureshkumar, K.sajananath and N. Saifudeen	Cation Exchange in Laterite soil – A critical assessment based on net ionic equilibrium(NIE)	J. Indian Soc. Soil Sci.:50(3) 236-241	2002
3	Sajan Kurien, P.Sureshkumar, N.V. Kamalam and P.A.Wahid	Nutrient cycling from the Musa mother plant at various physiological stages to suckers as affected by spacing and sucker retention using tracer techniques	Fruits, 57:143-151	2002
4	T.D.Babu, P.A. Nazeem, R.Kesavachandran, C.R. Achuthan, D.Girija, P.Sureshkumar and K.V. Peter	**Detection of Genetic Diversity in Piper species using RAPD and AFLP markers	Proc. 9^th National Seminar on New perspectives in spices, medicinal and aromatic plants, 27-29 November,2003. Indian Soc. For spices, ICAR Research complex, Goa	2003
5	P.Sureshkumar, R.K.Rattan and A.K.Singh	Chemical forms of zinc and their contribution to available pool	J. Indian Soc. Soil Sci.:52(4) 421-425	2004
6	Sureshkumar, P., Ramraj, V.M., Durga Devi, K.M., Sajnanath, K. and Kochurani Kurien	Studies on the uptake, translocation and metabolism of pyrithiobac-sodium (Tech.) using ¹⁴C-labeled pyrithiobac-sodium in cotton plant	Proc. ICAR National Symposium on Input Use Efficiency in Agriculture – Issues and Strategies, 25-27 November, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara	2004
7	T.girija, P.Sureshkumar, Vidhu Francis and C.T. Abraham	Translocation studies in Loranthus(Dendrophthoe falcata(L.F)) using labelled ¹⁴C	J.Nuclear Agric. Biol., 35(1): 52-56	2006
8	K.M. Durga Devi, P.Sureshkumar, K.Sajnanath and C.T. Abraham	Persistence of 2,4-D in aquatic System	J.Nuclear Agric. Biol., 35(3): 112-119	2006
9	Sajan Kurien, P.Sureshkumar, N.V. Kamalam and P.A.Wahid	Intermat and intramat competition in bananastudied using ³²P	Fruits, 61:225-235	2006
10	Sajan Kurien, P.Sureshkumar, N.V. Kamalam and P.A.Wahid	Relative efficiency of ³²P uptake in banana-based intercropping	Fruits, 61:353-366	2006

*The paper won the Young Scientist Award

**The paper bagged the best paper award (H.S. Mehta memorial National award)

Highlights

Established the root activity pattern of most of the tropical tree crops of Kerala using ³²P.
Fertility assessment including micronutrients and fertility card preparation and distribution to individual farmers of 42 panchayaths (with more than 30% rice area -Total number comes around60,000) in Palakkad district.
Developed and refined method for studies of absorption, translocation and metabolism of fertilizer, pesticides etc. by different crops using labelled compounds.
Gamma irradiation led to the development of varieties in different crops and ornamental plants.
Refined and used AFLP using ³²P labeled ATP for genetic characterisation of different crop varieties.

Current Activities

Studies on absorption and distribution pattern of nutrients in Tapping Pannel Dryness affected rubber using ³²P.
Nutrient use efficiency in different tree species of forest plantations using ³²P labelled fertilizer.
Movement and translocation of nutrients between sandal and host plant through haustoria using ¹⁴C and ³²P.
Sucker mother plant inter relations in banana using ¹⁴C and ³²P.
Dynamics of native and applied Phosphorus in laterites.

Major Achievements

Teaching

1. Coaching and guidance to Undergraduate Students for ICAR JRF examinations

leading to get maximum fellowships to KAU in the recent years

2. PG course in Fundamentals of radiation and radioisotopes is being offered.

Research

1. Established root activity pattern of major tree crops of Kerala.

2. Developed an applicator for isotope application at root zones of tree crops.

3. Defined and established the significance of Net Ionic Equilibrium (NIE) with respect

to potassium availability in Laterite soils.

4. Fertility assessment and fertility card preparation for the first time in Kerala state.

Facilities

1. Gamma chamber for irradiation

2. A three in one counter (Liquid scintillation counting for beta, solid scintillation counting for gamma and luminiscence counting) _ TRIATHLER.

3. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) for micronutrient and heavy metal analysis.

4. Facility for soil and plant analysis.

5. Facility for Autoradiography.

6. Facility for Radio-immuno assay (RIA).

7. Gas chromatography

8. Geographic Information System (GIS) lab

9. Glass house

10. Soil, irrigation and tissue analysis facilities

Contact Address :

Dr.P.Sureshkumar

Professor (Radiological Safety Officer)

and Head.

Radiotracer Laboratory

College of Horticulture

KAU, P.O., Vellanikkara, Thrissur – 680 656

Phone (O) 0487-2371695

(Mobile) 9447992507

Email ID:

isotopes@kau.in

sureshkumar.paikad@gmail.com

surpaik@yahoo.co.in

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