Department of Agronomy

The Department of Agronomy at RPCAU has a strong legacy dating back to the establishment in 1972. Postgraduate teaching in agronomy was initiated that year at the Dholi campus, which was later shifted to the main Pusa campus in 1980. Starting with just 8 postgraduate students, the department has steadily expanded its reach and impact, with an enhanced intake capacity of 22 MSc (Ag) students per year, along with 2 in-service seats. The doctoral program was launched in 1980 with an initial intake of 4 students per year, which has since been increased to 5 regular and 2 in-service seats. The department is equipped with excellent infrastructure, including well-equipped laboratories and a dedicated research farm, enabling robust research and practical training for students. The department has played a pivotal role in providing linkages to allied departments and constituent colleges of the university, contributing significantly to teaching, research, and extension activities across RPCAU. Its faculty are engaged in strategic and applied research to devise solutions for the pressing challenges faced by the farming community, and the research outputs are regularly disseminated to farmers through the university’s extension programs.

 Vision:

To develop viable crop & cropping system and their production technologies to ensure round year income of farmers.

Mandate:

• To provide best teaching and research environment to students of M.Sc. and Ph.D.
• To develop agronomical technologies to fulfill the requirement of farmers based on their feedback.

 Objectives/Goals:

The department of Agronomy was established in the year 1972 with the following objectives:

• Post Graduate teaching and research guidance
• To conduct research and develop agronomic practices for different crops
• Extension of developed technology through:
  1. Front Line Demonstration
  2. Direct interaction with farmers and extension officers at the Institute or in villages
  3. Publication of extension material on production technologies

The Department of Agronomy has one smart classroom and one seminar room with digital podium facilities in both rooms to conduct regular classes and seminars (Synopsis, Master& Doctoral and thesis) of M.Sc and Ph. D programme. Besides, the department has five well equipped laboratories to facilitate the research programme & practical classes and one field laboratory. Details of infra structure available in the Department is given below:

• Lecture Hall with Digital Podium
• Conference Hall with Digital Podium
• PG Laboratory – I (Physical and Microbiological Laboratory)
• PG Laboratory– II (Chemical Laboratory)
• Specialized Lab at centre for Advanced Climate Change and Water Management
• Field Laboratory- (1. Modern IFS model, 2. Integrated Zero budget Farming System, 3. Integrated Organic Farming System) 03

Lecture Room	Seminar Hall
PG Laboratory

i. Research activities:

ii. Technology developed:

• Maize planting technology (Kharif & Rabi Seasons): Innovative bed planting combined with site-specific nutrient management significantly improved maize yield and economic returns in both kharif and rabi seasons in Bihar.

• Intercropping technology for pigeonpea and urd bean: A paired row planting technique for pigeonpea (spacing 90 cm: 45 cm) intercropped with urd bean in a 2:2 ratio led to increased pigeonpea yields while maintaining soil health.

• Weed management in tobacco (Orobanche Control): Effective control of the parasitic weed Orobanche was achieved through neem cake application at 200 kg/ha at sowing, followed by soil drenching with Metalaxyl MZ 0.2% at 20 days after planting (DAP). This practice resulted in the highest tobacco yield, net returns, and benefit-cost (B:C) ratio.

• Weed management in transplanted rice: Application of Bispyribac sodium (25 g/ha) + Ethoxysulfuron (18.75 g/ha) at 25 days after transplanting (DAT), or Pendimethalin (750 g/ha) within 0–3 DAT followed by Bispyribac sodium at 25 DAT, or Pretilachlor (750 g/ha) or Pyrazosulfuron (20 g/ha) within 0–3 DAT followed by a tank mix of Chlorimuron + Metsulfuron (Almix) at 4 g/ha at 25 DAT. All these combinations proved highly effective for weed control, boosting yields and profitability.

• Weed management in direct seeded rice (DSR): Pre-emergence (PE) application of Pendimethalin at 1 kg/ha followed by Bispyribac sodium (25 g/ha) at 20 DAS, effectively suppressed weeds, matched weed-free yield levels, and delivered high economic returns.

• Weed management in wheat: The following herbicide combinations at 5 weeks after sowing (WAS) efficiently controlled complex weed flora and enhanced yields:
  • Sulfosulfuron + Metsulfuron (0.03 + 0.002 kg/ha)
  • Mesosulfuron + Iodosulfuron (0.012 + 0.0024 kg/ha)
  • Clodinafop + Metsulfuron (0.06 + 0.004 kg/ha)

• Weed management in turmeric: Pre-emergence application of either Metribuzin (0.7 kg/ha) or Pendimethalin (1.0 kg/ha) at 3 DAP, followed by Fenoxaprop (67 g/ha) + Metsulfuron (4 g/ha) at 45 DAP. This protocol effectively controlled weeds and ensured higher turmeric rhizome yield and profitability.

• Weed management in ginger: Several weed control strategies proved successful as follows:
  • Glyphosate (0.80 kg/ha) + Oxyfluorfen (0.2 kg/ha)
  • Pendimethalin (1.5 kg/ha) at 15 DAP
  • Two rounds of hand weeding
  • Pendimethalin or Oxyfluorfen after planting but before mulching, followed by hand weeding at 30 DAP
  • These combinations delivered effective weed suppression and a high B:C ratio.

• Development of suitable establishment practices for DSR: Mechanical line sowing with seed drill/ drum seeder showed the best crop establishment under both dry and wet DSR conditions as compared to commonly practiced broadcasting or labour-intensive manual line sowing.

• Development of agronomic packages: Customized packages of practices were developed for:
  • Late-sown wheat variety: Rajendra Gehun-2
  • Timely sown wheat variety: Rajendra Gehun-3 (WB-02)
  • Sugarcane variety: CoSe 16437 (Rajendra Ganna-1)
  • Rice variety: Rajendra Nilam/ Rajendra Saraswati/ Rajendra Bhagwati, etc.

• Improved management practices for rapeseed and mustard: Soil application of hydrogel at 2.5 kg/ha, along with two foliar sprays of salicylic acid at 200 ppm at flower initiation and the siliquae formation stage, is recommended for obtaining a sustainable higher yield of rapeseed and mustard under rainfed conditions.

• Development of System of Wheat Intensification: In the system of wheat intensification, 15 cm x 15 cm spacing was found statistically at par with 20 cm x 20 cm spacing. Under weed management practices, the highest net return and B:C ratio were recorded under wheel hoe (twice), which were statistically at par with Sulfosulfuroan at 25 g/ha followed by Carfentrazone at 20 g/ha.

• Development of remunerative rice-based cropping system for Bihar: Rice – Maize+Potato – Sesbania (green manure) cropping sequence was found suitable for higher system productivity and profitability. Rice – Potato – Groundnut and Rice – Maize+Pea (green pods) could also be a viable alternative cropping sequence with a higher B:C ratio under Rice –Maize+Pea (green pods). Irrigation scheduling at an IW/CPE ratio of 1.2 generated the highest system productivity and net income. However, B:C ratio was at par with 1.0 IW/CPE.

• Development of management practices in sugarcane-based intercropping: In sugarcane + wheat intercropping system, accommodation of 3 rows of wheat between two rows of sugarcane recorded higher sugarcane equivalent yield followed in order by wheat sown on 15th November late sugarcane and FIRB sowing of wheat on 15^th November + sugarcane planted in furrow during 3rd week of February.

• Mulching in potato: Application of rice straw at 5 t/ha as mulch just after sowing the crop showed a significantly positive response on growth and tuber yield of potato under low water availability conditions.

• Development of nutrient management in potato: Site-specific soil test-based target yield NPK + S + limiting micro-nutrients + 5 t/ha FYM + crop residue incorporation with applying Trichoderma viride was worked out to be an ecologically sustainable and economically viable treatment under the Potato–Sunflower cropping sequence.

 iii. Faculty awards/ honours:

• D.K. Roy received the prestigious Fellow Award from the Indian Society of Weed Science.
• R.K. Jha was awarded the second prize for contribution in “Integrated Approach for Empowerment of Rural Women through Income Generation and Drudgery Reduction” in the “Compendium of Best Practices on the ‘Role of Women in Disaster Risk Management’ by the India Universities and Institutions Network for Disaster Risk Reduction-National Institute of Disaster Management, (IUIN-DRR-NIDM).
• Biswajit Pramanick received the prestigious Dr. P.S. Deshmukh Young Agronomist Award 2022 from the Indian Society of Agronomy
• Biswajit Pramanick honoured with the Editorial Board Member for prestigious journals like Soil Science Society of America Journal, Wiley, USA; BMC-Plant Biology, Springer Nature; and Indian Journal of Agronomy.

iv. Student awards/achievements:

• More than 20 students of the department were selected as the Sub-divisional Agricultural Officer (SAO) and Block Agricultural Officer (BAO), Govt. of Bihar in 2024.

More than 25 students from the department were selected as Assistant Professor/ SMS in various universities including RPCAU, Pusa, BAU, Sabour, etc.

1. National and International Collaborations with other organizations/Institutes: ICAR; ICRISAT, Hyderabad; Cornell University, USA; CIMMYT-BISA, etc.

v. Publications:

Technical Bulletins: Sattar, A., Jha, R.K., Singh, A.K., Singh, G., Pramanick, B., Singh, A., Kumar, M., Bal, S.K. 2024. Changing agroclimate of Bihar – Length of growing season perspective, RPCAU, Pusa (Samastipur), pp 84.

 Lab Manuals: Pramanick, B. and Naik, B.S.S.S. 2023. Practical Manual on Principles and Practices of Organic Farming. VITAL BIOTECH PUBLICATION, Rajasthan. ISBN: 978-93-92953-66-8, pp. 135.

vi. Extension Activities:

Ongoing various extension activities:

Scientists of the department are actively participating in various FLD programmes, farmers’ training, and training of the stakeholders, etc., for disseminating the technologies developed at the department.

 Seminars/Conferences/Workshops/Trainings/ Brainstorming sessions organized:

• Department of Agronomy organized ICAR-sponsored short course on ‘Crop diversification, and utilization of crop waste to achieve climate-resilient agriculture and improvement in farmers’ income in fragile agri-ecosystem’ during 16–25 January 2024.
• Department of Agronomy organized an International Conference on “Reorienting Agronomic Research and Education to Combat Current and Future Challenges in Agriculture” during 20–22 September 2021.