Department of Soil Science and Water Management Nauni,Solan (HP)

Dr ML Verma
Professor & Head

The department came into being as a section of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry in 1962 of the then Himachal Pradesh Agricultural College and Research Institute; Solan, Himachal Pradesh and M.Sc. degree classes were started with affiliation to Punjab University, Chandigarh. With the shifting of post graduate program to College of Agriculture, Palampur in 1971, the department catered to the undergraduate needs and also offered minor courses to postgraduate students of other departments. Later, it was upgraded to the postgraduate level in 1987 after the establishment of Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan was re-named as Department of Soil Science and Water Management. The Ph.D. program was started during the academic year 1990-91.

Besides catering to the teaching needs of the department and both the colleges of Horticulture and Forestry,the department is engaged in running short and long term research and development projects funded by state and central governments and private/public sector agencies. Specialized trainings are also conducted for farmers and government officials for efficient nutrient and water management in the fields of horticulture and forestry.

The department provides services of soil, plant and manure testing to the farmers, government & private agencies through its modern equipped laboratories.The faculty of the department is also doing publications of research papers and review articles in leading national and international journals,books/book chapters, technical bulletins/popular articles for technology dissemination to various stakeholders.More than 100 alumni of the department are serving in positions of repute in government and public/private sector organisations.

Mandate

  • To provide education in specialized fields of soil science and water management
  • To conduct disciplinary research for soil health sustenance and enhancement of productivity of horticultural and forestry crops.
  • To develop and disseminate technologies for efficient soil nutrient management and improvement of crop and field water use efficiency

Strengths

  • Highly qualified & trained teaching staff to cater the teaching needs of both UG and PG programmes
  • Well equipped laboratories for conducting research on soil physical, chemical and biological aspects, agricultural engineering and application of micro-irrigation techniques for higher crop yield and quality
  • Soil Testing facilities for farmers, researchers and private entrepreneurs
  • Vermicompost and Bio fertilizer production facilities
  • Product testing of fertilizers & manures & formulations of public & private sector organizations

Academics

The department offers degree programmes for:

  • M.Sc.(Agriculture) Soil Science
  • Ph.D. Soil Science
Click here for course details

Achievements

  • Best Paper /Poster was bagged by Manisha Negi and Sourabh Sharma in 6th Agrivision-2022 held at NAASC, Delhi w.e.f. May 20-21, 2022.
  • FAI Golden Jubilee Award for outstanding Doctoral Research in fertilizer usage conferred on Dr. Jagriti Thakur (F-2016-22-D) in 2020 by Fertilizer Association of India, New Delhi.
  • Young Scientist Award 2020 won by Perminder Singh Brar in 3rdPlantica Plant Science Research Award-2020 held on 14th June, 2020 by Association of Plant Science Researchers, Plantica Foundation, Dehradun, Uttrakhand, India.
  • Best Thesis Award won by Perminder Singh Brar in 2nd Plantica and Innovative Research Award-2020 held on 14 August 2020 organized by Association of Plant Science Researchers, Plantica Foundation, Dehradun, Uttrakhand, India.
  • IPNI Scholar Award - 2018 conferred on Dr Jagriti Thakur (F-2016-22-D) for Doctoral Research by International Plant Nutrition Institute, Georgia, USA.

Research

Thrust Areas

  • Technology development for enhancement of soil health and formulation of nutrient management recommendations for horticultural and forestry production systems
  • Standardization of plant sampling techniques and critical limits for nutrient element in soils and crops to make suitable fertilizer recommendations
  • Conservation and management of soil and water resources, water requirement of crops, irrigation scheduling and water use efficiency
  • In situ moisture conservation, water harvesting, hi-tech irrigation system/fertigation and use of plastics for increasing crop productivity and quality.
  • Development of bio-fertilizer technology suitable for soils and crops of the State.
  • All India Network project on Soil Biodiversity Biofertilizers (AINP), funded by ICAR(₹ 32lakhs; 2004- Long term).
  • Improving nutrient and water productivity for sustainability in fruit production in HP (HPHDP Project component) funded by World Bank, through Dept. of Horticulture, Govt. of HP (₹ 353 lakh; Aug. 2016 – June 2024).
  • Utilization of soil and plant microbial resources for enhancing the productivity of cropping systems and soil health under Jhum and terrace/valley agro ecosystems of Eastern and North-western Indian Himalayas” under Himalayan Bioresource Mission, funded by DBT, GOI (₹ 31.73 lakh; 2022 – 2025).
  • Establishment of advanced soil plant analysis laboratory (HPHDP Project component) funded by World Bank, through Dept. of Horticulture, Govt. of HP (₹ 404.60 lakh; Aug. 2016 – June 2024).
  • Precision farming Development Centre, funded by NCPAH, Ministry of Farmers’ Welfare and Agriculture, GOI (₹ 50 lakh; 1996 – Long term).
  • Precision Farming technologies for enhancing yield and quality of horticultural crops funded by MIDH, through Dept. of Horticulture, Govt. of HP (₹ 50.00 lakh; Aug 2016-Mar 2024).
  • Facilities for management of experimental and demonstration farm for the scientist, students, farmers, line departments and NGOs of Himachal Pradesh for ₹ 15.75 Lakhs:2021-Longterm
  • Evaluation of bio-products on growth, yield and quality of Onion, Tomato and Capsicum, funded by M/s Fertis India Private Limited(₹17.90 lakh; 2021 – 2023).
  • Studies on the effect of nano-urea and nano-DAP on growth, yield and quality of apple funded by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), New Delhi for ₹ 10.83 lakh during 2023-24.
  • Entrepreneurship and skill development in soilless cultivation and vertical farming funded by ICAR-NAHEP (IDP)/World Bank for ₹ 15.0 lakh from 2020 to 2023.
  • Evaluation of Amino Plus on growth, yield and quality of chilli / capsicum,funded by M/s Fertis India Private Limited(₹ 4.73 lakh; 2021 – 2023).
  • Physico-chemical and biological properties of soil and water due to application of mulch material and stored irrigation water in horticultural crops,funded by Dr YSP University of Horticulture & Forestry,Nauni, Solan through Govt. of HP (₹ 5.5 lakh; May 2023 – May 2024).
  • Organic farming module on multilayer horticulture based cropping system,funded by Dr YSP University of Horticulture Horticulture & Forestry,Nauni, Solan through Govt. of HP (₹ 3.0 lakh; May 2023 – May 2024).
  • Technology on organic farming practices in apricot, kiwifruit, tomato, ginger French bean and capsicum have been developed.
  • Integrated nutrient management (INM) modules have been developed for apple, pea, cauliflower and tomato.
  • In high density apple plantation, recommendations on water requirement under drip and conventional irrigation, doses of NPK under fertigation and soil application have been formulated.
  • In apricot, irrigation and fertigation scheduling has been standardized.
  • Production technology of Spinach under hydroponics has beenstandardized.
  • Technology on enhancement of crop growth & yield through soil application of calcium nitrate and urea in apple has been developed. 
  • Technology for maximization of crop yield with application of drip irrigation, fertigation and black polyethylene mulch in cauliflower, radish, tomato and garlic has been developed.
  • Liquid fertilizers inoculum for Broccoli, Chrysanthemum and carnation has been developed.
  • Technologies selected in Package of Practices of Horticultural Crops:25
  • Patents Filed/Published/Granted: -
  • Technologies commercialized: -

Extension

  • Dissemination of latest technologies for soil and water management in horticultural and forestry crops through expert lectures by the faculty
  • Expert talks on Radio/TV (5nos.) by scientists of the department on Integrated Nutrient management, Nutrient deficiencies and their amelioration, Water harvesting, Drip irrigation and fertigation
  • Organization of 4 nos. of Skill Development Training Programmes (200 hrs) on “Micro Irrigation” and “Protected cultivation”
  • Demonstration Model of Organic farming and Precision farming technologies
  • Testing of soil and manure samples (5316 nos.) and sale of biofertilizers

Awards/Recognitions

  • Dr Rajesh Kaushal got NAHEP overseas visit Fellowship for one month under IDP from ICAR, March, 2023 as Visiting scientist at Hawkersbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Australia (Professor Ian Anderson).
  • Dr Sudhir Verma got NAHEP overseas visit Fellowship under IDP from ICAR, as Visiting Scientist at Institut für Bodenkunde (Institute of Soil Science), Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany w.e.f. 9th to 30th March 2023 under ICAR-NAHEP (IDP).
  • Dr Anjali Chauhan got NAHEP overseas visit Fellowship under IDP from ICAR, as Visiting Scientist at Plant health Institute Montpellier, IRD, France (Dr Sergio Svistoonoff, Bali Group) w.e.f. 09-30 March 2023
  • Dr Sudhir Verma awarded Best Presentation Award during 2019 for the state of HP, during the Annual Zonal Workshop of KVKs of Zone-I organized by ICAR-ATARI (Zone-I), Ludhiana.
  • Dr Sudhir Verma awarded 2nd Best Presentation Award” during 2020 for the state of HP, during the Annual Zonal Workshop of KVKs of Zone-I organized by ICAR-ATARI (Zone-I), Ludhiana.
  • Dr Sudhir Verma awarded 3rd Best Paper Presentation Award for oral presentation in 2nd National Conference on “Advances in Sustainable Agriculture” organized by Society of Krishi Vigyan w.e.f. September 26-28 2020.
  • Dr Anjali Chauhan got 2nd Best Paper Presentation Award for oral presentation in International Conference on Water, Agriculture, Dairy and Food Processing for sustainable Economy (WADFPSE 2022).

Facilities

    Research Laboratories

    The department has following well equipped laboratories:

    • UG/PG teaching laboratory
    • Soil Physics and Water Management laboratory
    • Soil Microbiology laboratory
    • Agricultural Engineering laboratory
    • Soil Testing laboratory

      • Equipments:

      Atomic absorption spectrophotometer, Flame photometer, Spectrophotometer, Pressure plate apparatus, Laminar Air Flow, Thermal cycler (PCR), Refrigerated centrifuge, Electrophoresis, UV Transilluminator, TDR, Seed germinator, Microscopes, Refrigerators, Deep fridge, Microtome, Laminar Air Flow, Autoclaves etc.

      Experimental Farm

      The department has 4.20 ha of Farm area for conducting research experiments with modern and hi-tech facilities.

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