The Banana Research Station at Marakkal was established during the year 1963 in an area of 17.3ha, as a centre of the Department of Agriculture to carry out research on banana and pineapple. In 1970, the station was brought under the All India Co-ordinated Fruit Improvement Project of the ICAR to carry out research on banana and pineapple. In 1972, when KAU was established, this station was taken over by it. In 1974, the venue of the Pineapple Research Centre was shifted to KAU Main campus, Vellanikkara in an area of 6.3 ha suited for pineapple cultivation.

Lead function is on banana and banana-based cropping systems and verification function in vegetables. The All India Fruit Improvement Project for Banana is functioning in this centre.

• The Kannara Centre maintains 212 accessions of banana. Two banana hybrids - H1 and H2 were recommended for cultivation in Kerala. Five superior types from the germ plasm - Dudhsagar, Sugandhi, Mysore Ethan and Highgate were selected based on yield.

• Recommendations for the integrated management of banana pests including nematodes were evolved. Several recommendations on nutrition and inter-cropping in banana were also made from this centre.