• AICRP on Soil Test Crop Response:

• To provide specific recommendations and guidelines for soil fertility management vis-à-vis suitable crop production.  

• AICRP on Micro & Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants :

• To delineate the micro and secondary nutrient-deficient and toxic areas.
• Reassessment of micro- & secondary nutrients (MSN) deficient/ toxic areas by soil and plant analysis 
• To standardize and develop appropriate soil test methods and to establish the critical values for deficiency, adequacy and toxicity of micro and secondary nutrient elements in soils for field, horticultural and plantation crops.
• To study the magnitude of response of different crops to the application of micro and secondary nutrients.
• To evaluate the sources of micro and secondary nutrients, their rate, mode and frequency of crop application.

• To determine the direct, residual and cumulative availability of micro and secondary nutrients to crops in different crop rotations on well-defined soil series or types.
• To study the role of organic and green manures in correcting micro and secondary nutrient deficiencies in crops.
• To screen germplasm of crops for their tolerance to micronutrient stress.
• To study the micronutrient interaction in soils and plants.
• To monitor hazards from heavy metals or trace element pollution/toxicity in soil, plant, animal and human beings.

• Radiotracer and Agricultural Chemistry Lab:

• To conduct research by using radioisotopes in the field of soil fertility and fertilizer use, soil – plant nutrition relationships and pesticide usage.

Mandated Crops:
    Rice, Maize, Groundnut, Castor, Cotton, Chilli, Soybean, Sesamum, Vegetable crops

AICRP on Soil Test Crop Response:

• To establish a significant relationship between soil tests and crop response    to Fertilizer application on representative soil(s) in different soils of varying 
  agro-climatic regions so as to provide a basis for fertilizer recommendation
  based on soil testing to maximize yield and profit
• To derive a basis for making fertilizer recommendations for desired yield target suited to the constraints in fertilizer availability or fertilizer cost or credit facilities to the farmers
• To evaluate various soil test methods for their suitability under field conditions
• To evaluate the extent to which the fertilizer need of crops can be reduced,
  in relation to conjunctive use of chemical fertilizers and organic manures
• To derive a basis for making fertilizer recommendations for a whole cropping sequence based on initial soil test values   
• Soil test crop response correlation studies and development of fertilizer prescription equations for achieving targeted yields
  based on soil test values.
• Developed fertilizer prescription targeted yield equations for about 32 crops under different Agro-climatic zones of A.P &Telangana by using both inorganic fertilizers and organic manures.
• Soil fertility mapping to the major nutrients for 32 districts of Telangana.

AICRP on Micro & Secondary Nutrients and Pollutant Elements in Soils and Plants :

• Delineation and reassessment of micro-& secondary nutrient status in soils under    major cropping systems
• Diagnosis of Deficiency of micro and secondary nutrients in soils and plants:
• Amelioration techniques for improving crop production by the use of micronutrients
• Study on “one health approach” related to micro and secondary nutrients in                Soil-Water- Animal Continuum
• Monitoring, risk assessment, and remediation of pollutant elements in the Soil-Plant-human-animal Continuum
• Enhancing the efficiency of native and applied micro and secondary nutrients
• Frontline demonstrations on effective technologies generated by the centers.

Radiotracer and Agricultural Chemistry Lab:

• Active root distribution of different cereal crops, pulse crops, oilseed crops, commercial crops and fruit crops by using 32P soil injection technique.
• Fertilizer use efficiency studies using 15N stable isotope for its better management to increase the use efficiency and crop yields.
• Studies on solubility of phosphatic fertilizers and P availability for different crops and soils using 32P radioisotope.
• Research on time and method of application of phosphatic fertilizers to increase its use efficiency and crops yields by using 32P radioisotope.
• Evaluation of complex and other new fertilizer materials for their solubility and availability of nutrients.
• Screening of crop varieties for photosynthesis efficiency using 14C radio isotope.
• Screening of crop varieties for efficient utilization of soil and applied phosphorus by using 32P radioisotope.
• Nutrition of oilseed crops.

1. RKVY Project – 704.93 lakhs –3Yrs
2. M/S Indo Climate SensePvt. Ltd. Hyderabad -15.45lakhs -one year

Infrastructure Facilities Available

The soil health unit houses with latest equipment to cater the needs of research scientists, students and farming community with high end equipment like Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, MPAES, ICP- OES,CNS Analyseretc;

Radiotracer and Agricultural Chemistry Lab:

• P application can be reduced by 25 to 75 % from current recommended dose with reference to initial soil available P ranging from 62 to 103 kg P2O5 ha-1in rice  maize and sunflower crops.
• In Rice- Rice and Rice- Sunflower systems, P fertilizer dose can be reduced by 50% from current recommended dose if the soil available P2O5 is > 100 kg ha-1.
• Root activity of rice in SRI was found higher by 25% as compared to normal transplanted rice at 25 X 25cm spacing and 64% higher at 20 X 20 cm spacing with 32P radioisotope studies.
• In marginal and S deficient soils, S application (35S radioisotope) in two equal splits at sowing and 30 DAS found to improve its use efficiency and crop yield in Soybean, Chickpea and garlic.
• Zn fortification (65Zn radioisotope) in rice variety MTU 1010 is better as compared to the variety Erramallelu.
• The per cent nitrogen derived from the added green manure (15N tagged) ranged from 2.04 to 6.40 under different rates of green manure application in paprika.

AWARDS

1. Best Faculty Award, PJTSAU-2021-22 (Dr. A. Madhavi).
2. Sri MandavaVenkataRamaiah Best Teacher Award-2023 (Dr. K. Pavan Chandra Reddy)
3. Distinguished Scientist Award – 2022. (Dr. K. Pavan Chandra Reddy). (Awarded at 5th National Conference on DISHA-2022 held at KNIPSS, Sultanpur, UP)

Station In-Charge (Name & Designation):Dr. Adusumilli Madhavi,  Principal Scientist & Head, Soil Health Unit, ARI, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad  500030 

Email : aicrpstcr@pjtau.edu.in, aicrpmnpes@pjtau.edu.in

Mobile Number : 8333818214