ਪੰਜਾਬ ਐਗਰੀਕਲਚਰਲ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ

PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

ਪੰਜਾਬ ਐਗਰੀਕਲਚਰਲ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ

PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, LUDHIANA

62nd Year of Education & Service

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Home


The School of Organic Farming, with faculty from disciplines of Agronomy, Soil Science, Fruit Science, Vegetable Science, Entomology, Plant Pathology and Biochemistry, was established in May, 2017 with the mandate of carrying out multi-disciplinary research, training and extension for development and dissemination of scientific knowledge on organic agriculture; to develop and disseminate integrated crop management (ICM) strategies for production of safe food and improvement of natural resources; to empower human resources for promotion of organic and integrated crop management practices in the state so as to minimize the use of agro-chemicals; to strengthen the practical teaching work on organic and integrated agricultural practices and technologies; to develop and demonstrate production technology for medicinal and aromatic crops;

to develop remunerative and resource conserving cropping systems, and to develop region specific integrated farming system models for small and marginal farmers for improving their livelihood security. The School has a well established one hectare Integrated Farming System model farm having components of field crops, dairy, horticulture, fishery and agro-forestry; one herbal garden having 100 species of medicinal and aromatic plants, and one vermicompost unit for vermicomposting and vermiculture.

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Head of Department


Name : Dr. Sohan Singh Walia

Address : Director, School of Organic Farming

Office : 01612400439, Ext-322

Phone : +918146400134

E-Mail : director-soof@pau.edu@pau.edu

Brief Introduction

Dr Sohan Singh Walia obtained his M.Sc. and Ph.D.degree in Agronomy from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He joined PAU as Assistant Professor (Agronomy) in 1995, elevated to the position of Principal Agronomist in 2010. He started organic farming research as a pioneer work at PAU, Ludhiana as Ph.D. student (2001—04) and then worked on organic farming and integrated farming systems in All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Integrated Farming Systems and All India Network Project on Organic Farming.

Dr Walia has to his credit more than 450 research and extension publications, nine books, ten teaching manuals, seven extension folders and 22 book chapters. He has handled 24 research projects and is currently handling five research projects. The chapter on organic farming and integrated farming system in the package of practices was included during 2004-05 and 2017-18, respectively. Sixty-eight recommendations have been included in the package of practices for mass adoption by the Punjab Farmers especially, resource conservative cropping systems, nine organic farming-based cropping systems and production technology of cultivation of direct seeded rice. In addition, he was involved in technologies regarding the application of consortiums in sugarcane, turmeric, potato, onion, maize, and wheat crops; integrated nutrient management in maize/soybean, rice residue management for the mass scale adoption under Punjab conditions. Developed Integrated Farming System Research Model comprising dairy, fishery, horticulture, vegetables, agro-forestry, vermi-composting. He has been involved in the teaching of 93 courses.

Dr Walia has guided four Ph.D. and eleven M.Sc. students as major advisor. He has organized 20 training programmes, delivered 62 invited lectures, 350 training lectures, and 52 TV and radio talks. He has attended ten international and 75 national conferences/seminars/workshops

Dr Walia was appreciated for outstanding work on integrated (2007-2017) and organic farming during QRT review (2012-2017). Recipient of Best organic farming centre award (2019) by ICAR; Dr M S Randhawa best book award (2017); Fellow, Indian Ecological Society (2016); Gold medal from Society of Recent Development in Agriculture at International Conference (2013); ISA Best Paper Award along with cash prize of Rs 5000/- from Indian Society of Agronomy (2011) for paper entitled,"Alternate cropping systems to rice-wheat for Punjab”; ISA P. S. Deshmukh Young Agronomist Award (2005) by Indian Society of Agronomy; Fellow, Society of Environmental Sciences (2004). The AICRP on Integrated Farming System, Ludhiana centre received the Best Centre Award (2014) from ICAR- Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research, Modipuram, Meerut. Received Dr. Gurbaksh Singh Gill Gold Medal, Merit Certificate for M.Sc. (Agronomy); S.S. Labh Singh Gold Medal and Merit Certificate for B.Sc. Agri. (Hons.). Dr Walia has acquired advance training in rice production systems from School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, South Australia.

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Thrust Areas


  • To carry out multi-disciplinary research, training and extension on organic and integrated crop management (ICM) strategies for production of safe food and conservation of natural resources.
  • ·To develop and disseminate integrated farming system (IFS) models for improved livelihood security of marginal and small farmers.
  • ·To promote cultivation of medicinal, aromatic and spice crops in Punjab.

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Faculty


Faculty

S.No Name & Designation E-Mail/Telephone
1. Dr Ajay Kumar Choudhary
Plant Pathologist
ajaychoudhary-pp@pau.edu
+919463974499
2. Dr Aman Preet
Agronomist
preetaman13@pau.edu
+918146900557
3. Dr Amandeep Singh Sidhu
Agronomist
sidhuas@pau.edu
+917087596648
4. Dr Gulab Pandove
Microbiologist
gpandove@pau.edu
+919872656426
5. Dr Kuldeep Singh Bhullar
Fruit Scientist
ksbhullar@pau.edu
+919417915516
6. Dr Manisha Thakur
Olericulturist
mnshthakur4@pau.edu
+918580474170
7. Dr Neeraj Rani
Soil Chemist
neerajsoil@pau.edu
+918146801155
8. Dr Rajender Kumar
Principal Agronomist
drajmunjal@pau.edu
+919417345565
9. Dr Sohan Singh Walia
Director-cum-Principal Agronomist
waliass@pau.edu
+918146400134
10. Dr Subash Singh
Senior Entomologist
subashsingh@pau.edu
+919876450766
11. Dr Vajinder Kalra
Agronomist
Kalravajinder@pau.edu
+919530796002

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Faculty Distinctions


  • Best Centre award on Network Project on Organic Farming 2018-2019
  • ICRP - Integrated Farming System was declared as one of the best centres during QRT review for the period 2006-07 to 2010-11
  • AICRP - Integrated Farming System got the Best Centre Award during 2014
  • P. S. Deshmukh Young Agronomist Award (2005) by Indian Society of Agronomy- Dr S S Walia
  • Fellow, Society of Environmental Sciences- Dr S S Walia
  • Young Scientist Award by Society for Recent Development in Agriculture- Dr S S Walia

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Important Achievements


Integrated Farming System (IFS) Model

The School has developed and recommended an Integrated Farming System model of one ha for small farmers demonstrating the potential of their income enhancement. The farming system components include dairy (2 cows), fishery (2 Kanal), horticulture (4 Kanal), Agro-forestry (1 Kanal), kitchen garden (0.5 Kanal) and field & fodder crops (1.5 acre). This one ha model farm can generate about 3.5 times more income than the rice - wheat cropping system on one ha.

Organic cropping systems:

  • Basmati rice-wheat; maize-wheat; soybean-wheat; maize-potato-onion/summer moong; maize-potato + radish (1:1)-onion + coriander (1:4); maize-durum wheat-cowpeas; turmeric-onion; okra-radish-pea; brinjal-pea

Organic fodder systems

  • Maize-berseem-bajra/maize+cowpea.

Conventional cropping systems:

  • Maize-vegetable pea/potato-spring Maize; Maize-potato-onion; groundnut-potato-bajra (fodder); Maize/summer groundnut-kharif onion-onion ; Groundnut-gobhi sarson + toria; turmeric –onion /late sown wheat

Green manuring in basmati rice

  • No need to apply urea to basmati rice after green manuring.

Integrated nutrient management in turmeric:

  • 12.5 tonnes FYM/ha before planting and 62.5 kg nitrogen / ha in two equal splits at 75 and 100 days after planting.

Potato planting geometry:

  • For mechanical potato planting, plant potato at 65cm x 18.5 cm or 75cm x l5cm and for seed potato production at 65cm x 15cm or 75cm x 15cm depending upon the machinery.

Row spacing in wheat:

  • Sow wheat at 15 - 20cm row spacing for higher grain yield.

Bio-fertilizers:

  • Application of Consortium biofertilizer @ 10 kg/ha in furrows at the time of planting sugarcane; potato; turmeric and consortium seed treatment @ 1.25 kg/ha in maize and wheat crops.
  • 12.5 tonnes FYM/ha before planting and 62.5 kg nitrogen / ha in two equal splits at 75 and 100 days after planting.

Weed management:

  • Potato : Application of paddy straw mulch at 6.0 t/ha is effective for weed control in autumn potato, as an alternate to herbicides.
  • Organic turmeric: To manage weeds in organic turmeric apply 10.0 t/ha paddy straw mulch at the time of planting and if needed, give one hand weeding at 3 months after planting. If straw mulch is not applied then give three hand weedings at 1, 2 and 3 months after planting the crop.

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Current Projects


  • Integration of efficient farm enterprises for livelihood security of small and marginal farmers
  • All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Integrated Farming Systems (ICAR)
  • All India Network Programme on Organic Farming (ICAR)
  • Establishment of Biotech-KISAN hub at PAU Ludhiana for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in Summer moong-basmati rice-wheat cropping system (DBT)
  • Mission for Integrated Develoment of Horticulture (MIDH): medicinal, aromatic and spice crops
  • Establishment of Biotech-KISAN hub at PAU Ludhiana (Development of accredited safe-food farm clusters)
  • Genetic and Physiological architecture of weed competitive ability in Iranian wheat landraces (DST-SERB)
  • Expansion of activities of Biotech-KISAN hub in two aspirational districts (Moga and Ferozepur) of Punjab and one aspirational district (Chamba) of HImachal Pradesh (Income enhancement of farmers through IFS)

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Important Publications


  • Singh T, Sandhu P S, Chahal G K and Walia S S (2022) Foliar thiourea confers moisture stress tolerance in rainfed maize through elevated antioxidativedefence system, osmolyte accumulation and starch synthesisgrown under different planting methods. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10540-x (NAAS rating 8.67).
  • Hasam H, Kaur S, Kaur H, Kaur N, Kaur T, Aulakh C S and Bhullar M S (2022) Weed management using tillage, seed rate and bed planting in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) under an organic agriculture system, Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 68:14, 1959-1973, DOI:
    10.1080/03650340.2021.1946041 (NAAS 9.09).
  • Aulakh, C S, Sharma S, Thakur M, and Kaur P (2022) A review of the influences of organic farming on soil quality, crop productivity and produce quality. Journal of Plant Nutrition https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2022.2027976 (NAAS: 7.13).
  • Dhaliwal S S, Sharma S, Sharma V, Shulka A K, Walia S S, Alhomrani M, Gaber A, Toor A S, Verma V, Randhawa M, Pandher L, Singh P and Hussain A (2021) Long-Term Integrated Nutrient Management in the Maize-Wheat Cropping System in Alluvial Soils of North-Western India: Influence on Soil Organic Carbon, Microbial Activity and Nutrient Status. Agronomy 11: 2258. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112258. (NAAS rating 8.60)
  • Kaur J, Prusty A K, Ravisankar N, Panwar A S, Shamim M, Walia S S, Chatterjee S, Pasha M L, Babu S, Jat M L, Lopez-Ridaura S, Groot JCJ, Toorop R A, Escoto LB, Nopur K and Kashyap P (2021) Farm typology for planning targeted farming systems interventions for smallholders in Indo?Gangetic Plains of India. Scientific Reports 11: 20978
    https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00372-wwww.nature.com/scientificreports. (NAAS rating 10.0)
  • Pal V, Singh G and Dhaliwal S S (2021) A New Approach in Agronomic Biofortification for Improving Zinc and Iron Content in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Grain with Simultaneous Foliar Application of Zinc Sulphate, Ferrous Sulphate and Urea. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 21: 883–896. (NAAS 9.87).
  • Nima D, Aulakh C S, Sharma S and Kukal S S (2021) Assessing soil quality under long-term organic vis-a-vis chemical farming after twelve years in north-western India. Journal of Plant Nutrition 44:8, 1175-1192, DOI:
    10.1080/01904167.2020.1862195 (NAAS: 7.13).
  • Kumar, P, Brar S K, Pandove G, and Aulakh C S (2021) Bioformulation of Azotobacter spp. and Streptomyces badius on the productivity, economics and energetics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Energy 232: 120868 (NAAS: 13.15).
  • Das Ruma, Purakayastha TJ, Das Debarup, Ahmed Nayan, Kumar Rahul, BiswasSunanda, Walia SS, Singh Rohitashav, Shukla VK, Yadava MS, Ravisankar N, Datta SC (2019)
    Long-term fertilization and manuring with different organics alter stability of carbon in colloidal organo-mineral fraction in soils of varying clay mineralogy. Science of The Total Environment 684: 682-693. (NAAS: 10.61).
  • Pal V, Singh G and Dhaliwal S S (2019) Yield enhancement and biofortification of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) grain with iron and zinc through foliar application of ferrous sulfate and urea. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 42:15, 1789-1802, DOI:
    10.1080/01904167.2019.1648675 (NAAS 7.13).
  • Pal V, Singh G and Dhaliwal S S (2019) Agronomic biofortification of chickpea with zinc and iron through application of zinc and urea. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 50:15, 1864-1877, DOI:
    10.1080/00103624.2019.1648490 (NAAS 7.33).
  • Pal V, Singh G and Dhaliwal S S (2019) Symbiotic Parameters, Growth, Productivity and Profitability of Chickpea as Influenced by Zinc Sulphate and Urea Application, Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 42:15, 1789-1802, DOI:
    10.1080/01904167.2019.1648675 (NAAS 9.87).
  • Singh B, Aulakh, C S and Walia S S (2019). Productivity and water use of organic wheat–chickpea intercropping system under limited moisture conditions in Northwest India. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 134-143. doi:10.1017/S1742170517000370 (NAAS: 8.66).
  • Singh Balwinder, Aulakh C S and Walia S S (2017) Productivity and water use of organic wheat–chickpea intercropping system under limited moisture conditions in Northwest India. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems: doi:10.1017/S1742170517000370: 1-10. (NAAS 8.66).

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Academic Programs


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College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / Facilities & Services


  • Soil and Plant Analysis Labs with AAS, Spectrophotometer, Flame Photometer, Laminar Flow and BOD Incubator
  • Integrated Farming System Model for small farmers
  • Herbal Garden having about 100 species of medicinal and aromatic plants
  • Herbal Plants for Sale
Sr. No. Common name Botanical name/species
1 Rati Abrus precatorius
2 Sweet flag, Bach Acorus calamus
3 Vasaka Adhatoda vasaca
4 Aloe Aloe vera
5 Kalmegh Andrographis paniculata
6 Celery Apium graveolens
7 Samundra sokh Argyreia nervosa
8 Kapoorwasi Artemesia spp.
9 Satawar Asparagus spp.
10 Brahmi Bacopa monnieri
11 Vajradanti Barleria prionitis
12 Sindhoori Bixa orellana
13 Cactus Cactus grandiflorus
14 Gataran Caesolpinia crista
15 Karaunda Carissa carandas
16 Mandukparni Centella asiatica
17 Safed musli Chlorophytum spp.
18 Hadjod Cissus quardangularis
19 Ajwain patta Coleus amboinicus
20 Coleus Coleus forskohlii
21 Gugal Commiphora wightii
22 Insulin plant Costus igneus
23 Keokand Costus speciosus
24 Haldi(Mixture) Kali Haldi Safed Haldi Kachur Haldi Amba Haldi Curcuma longa C. caesia C. angustifolia C. zedoaria C. amada
25 Palmarosa Cymbopogon martini
27 Citronella Cymbopogon winterianus
28 Lemon grass Cymbopogon flexuosus
29 Datura Datura spp.
30 Yam Dioscorea spp.
31 Mulathi Glycyrrhiza glabra
32 Gudmar Gymnema sylvestre
33 Motia Jasminum sambac
34 Jamalghota Jatropha gossypifolia
35 Mehndi Lawsonia inermis
36 Chamomile Matricaria chamomilla
37 Japanese mint Mentha arvensis
38 Bergamot mint Mentha citrate
39 Pepper mint Mentha piperita
40 Spear mint Mentha spicata
41 Kitchen mint Mentha viridis
42 Lajwanti Mimosa pudica
43 Konch Mucuna pruriens
44 Curry patta Murraya koenigii
45 Kalongi Nigella sativa
46 Harsingar Nyctanthes arbortistis
47 Holy basil/ Niazbo Ocimum sanctum
48 Ram tulsi Ocimum gratissimum
49 Shyam tulsi Ocimum tenuiflorum
50 Kapoor/camphor tulsi Ocimum kilimandscharicum
51 Geranium Pelargonium graveolens
52 Hazardani Phyllanathus amarus
53 Pipli/magh Piper longum
54 Patchouli Pogostemon cablin
55 Babchi Psoralea corylifolia
56 Sarpagandha Rauvolfia serpentine
57 Cheenia rose Rosa bourboniana
58 Damask rose Rosa damscena
59 Makoh Solanum nigrum
60 Akarkara Spilanthes acmella
61 Stevia, Sweet herb Stevia rebaudiana
62 Arjun Terminalia arjuna
63 Bahera Terminalia bellirica
64 Giloe Tinospora cordifolia
65 Ajowain Trachyspermum ammi
66 Metha Trigonella foenum-graecum
67 Anantmool Tylophora indica
68 Khus Vetiveria zizanioides
69 Sadabahar Vinca rosea
70 Nirgundi Vitex negundo
71 Ashwagandha Withania somnifera

College of Agriculture / School of Organic Farming / PG Students


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