Latest news with #Gosal
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Punjab Agricultural University ranked among world's top 100 agri institutions
Ludhiana: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has earned a major global distinction by featuring in the EduRank 2025 list of the world's Top 100 agricultural institutions. Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, has earned a major global distinction by featuring in the EduRank 2025 list of the world's Top 100 agricultural institutions. The university has secured 93rd position in the EduRank 2025 list and is the only state agricultural university from India to feature in the elite list, which was compiled from an evaluation of 4,407 institutions worldwide. EduRank, an independent global ranking platform, evaluates over 14,000 institutions based on measurable indicators such as research output, citation impact and academic influence. PAU vice chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal attributed the university's strong ranking to its research output, which is a key factor in the EduRank evaluation. He highlighted that the rankings were based on both the number of research papers produced and their global citation impact. 'This recognition shows that PAU is on the right path in agricultural research,' said Gosal. PAU's entry into the Top 100 is a major achievement for India, with the university standing alongside only one other institution from India in this category — the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi, which ranked 47th. PAU is the sole state agricultural university to make the list, highlighting its growing international prominence. There are 64 state agricultural universities (SAUs), seven deemed universities, and three Central Agricultural Universities in India, as recognised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). This makes a total of 74 agricultural universities in India. This recognition adds to a series of national accolades for PAU, which was ranked the No. 1 state agricultural university in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024. Additionally, it was named the top state agricultural university by the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) 2025. The VC expressed pride in the achievement, saying that the global recognition reflects the university's commitment to agricultural innovation and scientific excellence. 'This is a moment of national pride and will help expand our international visibility and foster collaborations worldwide,' he said. PAU registrar Rishi Pal Singh also praised the university's global ranking, describing it as a validation of PAU's leadership in agricultural research and education. 'The PAU's consistent national and international recognition demonstrates our forward-looking vision and commitment to excellence,' he added. In a further boost to its international reputation, VC Gosal revealed that PAU is one of the two agricultural institutions from India selected by BRICS for research collaboration, which will open new avenues for funding and international partnerships.
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Tech leap: Move over, Musk! PAU unveils AI-powered self-driving tractor
While Elon Musk's self-driving car, Tesla, is creating a lot of buzz with its India launch, the experts at the Punjab Agricultural University here have come up with an AI-powered tractor that promises to take agri operations to the next level. The tractor uses advanced technologies, such as sensors, GPS, and artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate fields, perform tasks including tilling, cultivating and seeding, and avoid obstacles, eliminating the need for a human operator, says PAU's vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal. (Gurpreet Singh/HT) The tractor uses advanced technologies, such as sensors, GPS, and artificial intelligence (AI) to navigate fields, perform tasks including tilling, cultivating and seeding, and avoid obstacles, eliminating the need for a human operator, says PAU's vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal. The autonomous tractor will be powered by a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based Auto-Steering System. 'The technology, uncommon in Indian farm machinery, enables tractors to operate key implements like disc harrows, cultivators, and PAU's smart seeder with minimal to no human inputs,' Gosal said adding that once a farmer keys in inputs, the tractor will combine satellite signals, sensors, and a touchscreen console to steer tractors accurately—even in low visibility—while reducing errors, fatigue, and resource wastage. College of agricultural engineering and technology, dean Manjeet Singh said the technology has shown remarkable results, including up to 12% increase in field capacity, 85% reduction in fatigue, and a 40% drop in labour requirements. 'Built for precision farming, the technology can help farmers take care of their land using field implements like disc harrow, cultivator, rotavator, and PAU-smart seeder without manual input, with decision-making tasks handed over to artificial intelligence,' Gosal said during the demonstration of the auto-steering system fitted tractor. Key components of the system include a GNSS receiver for accurate positioning, a wheel angle sensor to track steering movement, and a motorised steering unit. The ISOBUS-compliant console allows for advanced features such as auto turns, skip-row functionality, and custom turn patterns. The operator can switch between manual and automatic modes with a single button. ISOBUS is a standardised communication protocol used in agricultural and forestry machinery. 'It ensures consistent steering even in low-light conditions, reducing fatigue, overlap, and missed areas during fieldwork. This system has basically three things: GPS, sensors, and a computer. There is a tablet in front of the driver's seat. Once the data is keyed in, the decision is taken by artificial intelligence. The driver is assisted by the technology here to optimise the process,' Gosal added. Field data from PAU trials show the system's advantages over manual steering. With manual steering, field implements like disc harrow, cultivator, rotavator, and PAU-Smart Seeder showed overlaps between 3 to 12%. With the auto-steering system, these overlaps dropped to about 1%. Missed areas reduced from 2 to 7% to under 1%. The system maintained an impressive pass-to-pass accuracy of ±3 cm, leading to better resource use and consistent crop establishment, the PAU data added. Gosal, the technology has become ubiquitous abroad. 'This system has been developed with the help of a US-based company, which provided the tablet. This is something the PAU will back and recommend. The tractor will be taken to melas and various agri events to show farmers its advantages. We hope that with demand, the tech will be adopted in India by the companies,' Gosal added. Gosal noted that the launch of this system reflects PAU's decisive push towards digital transformation in agriculture. Director research Ajmer Singh Dhatt said: 'Scientific and scalable solutions like the auto-steering system are the future of Indian agriculture.'
Indian Express
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indian Express
Move over Tesla, Punjab agri univ get farming future ready as it tills a field with driver-less tractor
A tractor tilling a farm is nothing unusual in Punjab. But a tractor tilling a farm on its own, without a driver in saddle to steer it, is surely unusual. This unusual sight was seen Monday as Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) unveiling its Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based auto-steering system for tractors with a live demonstration at its research farm. The tractor in question, with a cultivator attached, moved through the farm creating furrows and raising dust, even navigating the turns and bends with ease, evoking whoops of joy from onlookers. Vice-Chancellor (V-C) of the university, Dr S S Gosal, later termed the live demonstration as a major milestone in 'PAU's transition from conventional farming to digital, precision-based agriculture'. The GNSS-based system, he said, facilitates driver-less movement of the tractor. The computer-controlled system uses signal receivers, sensors and cameras for smooth navigation in precision agriculture and reduces human effort. Gosal said that the 'auto-steering system is a satellite-guided, computer-assisted tool designed to automate steering during tractor operations'. 'By combining signals from multiple satellite constellations with sensors and a touchscreen control console, the system guides tractors along accurate, predefined paths. It ensures consistent steering even in low-light conditions, reducing fatigue, overlap, and missed areas during fieldwork,' Gosal said. Key components of the system include a GNSS receiver for accurate positioning, a wheel angle sensor to track steering movement, and a motorised steering unit. The ISOBUS-compliant console allows for advanced features such as auto headland turns, skip-row functionality, and custom turn patterns. The operator can switch between manual and automatic modes with a single button. 'Field data from PAU trials show the system's strong performance. With manual steering, field implements like disc harrow, cultivator, rotavator, and PAU smart seeder showed overlaps between 3 to 12 per cent. With the auto-steering system, these overlaps dropped to about 1 per cent. Missed areas reduced from 2 to 7 per cent to under 1 per cent. The system maintained an impressive pass-to-pass accuracy of ±3 cm, leading to better resource use and consistent crop establishment,' the PAU said in statement Gosal said that the launch of this system reflects the PAU's decisive push towards digital transformation in agriculture. The university is not just embracing technology for the sake of innovation, but as a necessary shift to keep farming profitable, efficient, and sustainable, he remarked. He pointed out that digital tools like auto-steering not only improve productivity but also lighten the physical burden on farmers. Dr Ajmer Singh Dhatt, Director of Research, PAU, observed that advancements including machine learning, sensor networks, and navigation technologies are essential in view of shrinking natural resources and rising input costs. According to him, scientific and scalable solutions like the auto-steering system are the future of Indian agriculture. Dr Rishi Pal Singh, Registrar of PAU, recalled how the university's innovations recently received national recognition when the Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan operated PAU's sensor-based, remote-controlled paddy transplanter during a demonstration in Patiala. The university also held a live demonstration of the remote paddy transplanter. Dr Manjeet Singh, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, explaining the university's remote-controlled two-wheel paddy transplanter, said that the machine allows farmers to operate from shaded areas, drastically reducing exposure to heat and humidity during transplantation. He said the technology has shown remarkable results, including up to 12 per cent increase in field capacity, 85 per cent reduction in fatigue, and a 40 per cent drop in labour requirements. Both the driver-less tractor and the remote paddy transplanter may go a long way in cutting down on labour costs too, experts said. The university also informed about its progress in precision irrigation. The Centre for Water Technology and Management is developing (internet of things-) IoT-based irrigation systems that monitor soil moisture, water levels, and weather in real time. These systems automate irrigation scheduling for crops like rice, wheat, maize, and summer moong. Trials in Sangrur have shown improvements in water use efficiency, reduced greenhouse emissions, and lower energy and labour input.
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
‘Confined field trials' on GM maize to begin soon at Punjab Agricultural University
The field trials of two kinds of genetically modified (GM) maize are expected to begin in the ongoing kharif (summer) season at the Punjab Agricultural University, days after the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee, the country's top regulator for the sector, gave the nod for the trials, after receiving consent from the Punjab government. In its meeting in June, the committee recommended a proposal by Bayer Crop Science Limited for the conduct of confined field trials on herbicide-tolerant transgenic maize, and insect-resistant transgenic maize at the Ludhiana-based university for this year's kharif season. Activists, however, have raised the alarm against the move. The trials will study weed-control efficacy in herbicide-tolerant maize hybrids with the application of Glyphosate-K salt, and the efficacy of insect-protected maize hybrids against targeted lepidopteran pests. 'The field trials will begin soon as this is the right time for sowing maize,' Punjab Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal told The Hindu. The university had no involvement in decisions related to the commercialisation of the crop; its mandate was limited to conducting research, under which the field trials would be conducted on GM maize, Mr. Gosal said, dismissing concerns over genetic modification. 'At the Punjab Agricultural University, we have the necessary infrastructure, facilities and experts, so we are going ahead with the trials. We need to understand that, unless we study the matter, we will not know whether it's good or bad. The trials are for research purposes only, and we are not going to recommend that it (GM maize) should be grown commercially or not. It's for the Central government to take a call. We would be conducting the trials adhering to the guidelines of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, and established standards of procedures. It's a research institute, and it's our mandate to conduct research,' Mr. Gosal said. The Coalition for a GM-Free India, a platform advocating safe and sustainable agriculture, has urged the Punjab government to withdraw its No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the trials. In a letter to Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Kavitha Kuruganti, co-convenor of the coalition, said that the State government had an issued order prohibiting the usage of glyphosate, a deadly herbicide with a large body of scientific literature pointing to its negative impacts on human health and the environment. '...How can the university experiment with herbicide-tolerant maize that has been modified to withstand the application of glyphosate, which is in itself against the legally-approved label claim for glyphosate in India's pesticides regulatory regime?' Ms. Kuruganti said. In 2018, the Punjab government banned the sale of glyphosate, a herbicide used extensively in the State to control a wide variety of weeds in almost all crops. Pointing out that the State government's NOC would result in national repercussions, Ms. Kuruganti urged the State to prioritise an inquiry into the scientific basis on which such NOCs were being issued, and to immediately withdraw the NOC that has been issued for confined field trials on GM maize.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
PAU defends GM maize trials, says its only for research
Ludhiana: In the wake of opposition from NGOs over field trials of genetically modified (GM) maize in Punjab at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the varsity defended its decision to proceed with research trials. The university clarified that it was not releasing GM maize for commercial use but only conducting scientific research, as per its institutional mandate and SOPs outlined by the department of biotechnology. The GM maize in question has been developed by agri-science company, Bayer. The crop has been genetically engineered with both herbicide-tolerant (HT) and insect-resistant Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) traits. Bayer applied to the Government of India's department of biotechnology for permission to conduct bio-safety trials under the statutory review committee on genetic manipulation (RCGM). The trials are being conducted in accordance with biosafety research level I (BRL-I) which are preliminary and advanced level II (BRL-II) norms. Environmentalists, along with a coalition of GM Free India, have raised serious objections to the Punjab government issuing the NoC for genetically modified maize trials. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo The coalition has written to the Punjab agriculture minister, urging him to immediately institute an inquiry into the scientific basis on which such an NoC was issued and sought its withdrawal. Trying to quell criticism, PAU vice-chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal clarified that the university was not releasing GM maize for cultivation and had no role in its commercialisation. "We are not releasing this crop. That is the job of the government. PAU is only carrying out scientific research. Our mandate is to test and evaluate new technologies in agriculture so that policy makers, farmers, and society can make informed decisions based on science, not speculation," he said. NGOs against GM-free crops have expressed apprehensions of potential long-term ecological and health consequences of the adoption of GM crops. They have demanded a halt to all trials after Punjab government issued NoC for trials last month. However, PAU asserted that such assessments could not be made without data. "We cannot say whether any new crop, GM or not, is good or bad unless we research it," Dr Gosal said. "These are controlled, limited research trials under strict regulatory frameworks of the department of biotechnology," he added. Before the trials began, the project was reviewed and cleared by a Punjab-level committee consisting of officials from the Punjab department of agriculture, Punjab State Council for Science & Technology, biotechnology incubator, state health department and PAU scientists. The committee examined all safety protocols and agreed that the trials could be conducted under strict monitoring adhering to the norms. PAU officials stressed that the university has a long record of research on transgenic crops and has been evaluating GM crops, including BT cotton. Officials also pointed to the university's rejection of nano urea, a product that was widely promoted by all sections, including the central government. "We tested nano urea in our research fields and found it ineffective in Punjab's soil and crop conditions. We did not recommend it. Now, even the central government is rethinking it. That shows the importance of independent, university-led research," the vice-chancellor said. More than 30 countries, including the United States and Canada are growing GM crops. In India, BT cotton, despite initial opposition and widespread myths, has now been widely adopted and accounts for majority of cotton cultivation. "There were stories that animals died after eating BT cotton leaves. But none of those were proven scientifically. Today, BT cotton is key crop in agriculture," Dr Gosal said, adding, "We are trying to avoid repeating the same cycle of myth-based panic. We must let data speak. A growing number of farmers in Punjab have been informally demanding more advanced BT varieties such as BT 3 and BT 4, citing growing resistance to older versions. "If farmers are demanding solutions, we must investigate them scientifically first," he said.
