| Research Divisions
Soil Physics
Dr. R. S. Chaudhary, Head of Soil Physics, Email: rsc@iiss.ernet.in
 The major focus of research of this division is on enhancing/ sustaining soil quality, productivity and input use efficiency through studies on conservation tillage, interaction of water and nutrient/ tillage, crop diversification, rain-water harvesting and moisture conservation, simulation models for water and nutrient transmission and uptake, management of soil physical properties, soil aggregation dynamics, soil organic carbon conservation and sequestration in relation climate change etc.
The divisional laboratory is equipped with sophisticated equipments (pressure plate apparatus, sand box, neutron moisture meter, depth density gauge, Guelph permeameter, K-permeameter, rainfall simulator, wet sieving apparatus, root scanner and image analysis system, automatic runoff recorder and sediment collection, automatic weather station etc.) |
Soil Chemistry and Fertility
Dr. A. K. Biswas, HOD, Email: akb@iiss.ernet.in
 The division has been entrusted with the responsibility to conduct the basic and strategic research related to characterization of dominant chemical equilibria in major benchmark soils, nutrient dynamics and solid phases controlling nutrient availability. The concerted efforts are being made to develop IPNS modules for balanced and conjuctive use of various sources of nutrient supply in local/regional perspective, improve the efficiency of applied nutrient inputs, improve and maintain carbon stocks in soils, develop nutrient models to aid nutrient management decisions for important agro-ecosystems, assess soil qualities to monitor long term changes in soil fertility under different agro-ecological systems and build up models for prediction of changes in soil health. Such studies will help in improving efficiency of nitruent cyclinging, minimizing nutrient losses from soils and improving soil quality for sustained high productivity.
The divisional laboratory is equipped with sophisticated equipments like UV Visible Spectraphotometer, Deep Freezer, Sonicator, kjeltech system, microwave digestion unit, autotitrator, flame photometer, Muffle furnace, nephalometer among other basic facilities. |
Soil Biology
Dr. M.C. Manna, HOD, Email: mcm@iiss.ernet.in
 Division of Soil Biology is entrusted with responsibility to undertake research on maintaining soil biodiversity in agro-ecosystem. Soil biochemical attributes and produce quality indices, development of technologies of recycling of various C: N ratio wastes, assessment of soil quality parameters, quality of organic pools, soil C/C sequestration under different agro system, characterization of functional communities of soil organisms and microbial biodiversities have been taken up as major programme of research.
Important equipments in this divisional laboratory include HPLC, GLC, laminar flow, BOD incubator, research microscope with camera and CCTV system, automatic media distributor, incubator shaker and other basic facilities like muffle furnace, vacuum driver, water purification system, Gerhardt block digester and inoculation room. |
Environmental Soil Science
Dr. S. Kundu, HOD, Email: skundu@iiss.ernet.in
 The Division is entrusted with the responsibility to create a database on the extent of soil pollution due to indiscriminate use of fertilizers, city, industrial and agricultural wastes for crop production and to develop suitable prescriptions and technologies for safe recycling of these wastes into agriculturally productive soils. The division is also engaged in evaluating sink capacity of soils for heavy metal pollutants and major environmental issues related to organic farming.
The divisional laboratory is equipped with the equipments like, Polarographic analyzer, Water analyzer, Soxlet apparatus, BOD and COD analyzer, Infra red gas analyzer (IRGA), Water potential system, TLC, Ion chromatograph, UV-visible spectrophotometer, N distillation system, Flame photometer, Nephalometer besides other basic facilities. |
Statistics and Computer Application Section
Dr. S. Srivastava, In-Charge, Email: sanjays@iiss.ernet.in
The section is established with the responsibility to carry out applied research in the use of statistical techniques and computer applications in management of nutrients and water. The section is equipped with computing facility and software for data analysis like SPSS (10.0). The section is also looking after the activities of
AKMU.
Agricultural Knowledge Management Unit (AKMU)
Dr. J. Somasundaram, In-Charge, somasundaram@iiss.ernet.in,aris@iiss.ernet.in
Agricultural Knowledge Management Unit (AKMU) is equipped with all modern facilities to provide e-mail connectivity and browsing facility through Internet to all the scientists and officials. Local Area Network (LAN) Server has been connected to Internet through our own VSAT. LAN is in operation with 75 nodes.
AKMU is maintaining its own e-mail server (iiss) using Linux (Red Hat 9.0). E-mail accounts of all the scientists and officials have been created. The
AKMU is also engaged in creating database related to soil nutrients. Home page and website for the Institute have been launched.
Honourable Agricultural minister Sh. Nitish Kumar inagurating the institute Website
Library, Information and Documentation services
Mrs. Nirmala Mahajan, In-Charge, Email: nmahajan1@iiss.ernet.in
The Institutes Library has acquired total documents categorized as under :
Documents |
Addition during |
Total Holding |
2000-2001 |
1999-2000 |
Books |
46 |
227 |
1805 |
Bound Journals |
84 |
409 |
1281 |
Annual Reports |
50 |
212 |
661 |
Foreign Journals |
Nil |
Nil |
28 |
Indian Journals |
1 |
Nil |
43 |
 The library is well maintained with the facilities of Document Lending Service, Reference service, Reprographic Service. During this year, library has acquired AGRIS database of FAO under the NATP scheme in order to strengthen the library. The library is already having SOIL-CD on the CD media and is providing search facilities to users. The databases of books, annual reports, and other documents are being maintained on Window version of CDS/ISIS, i.e., WINISIS. Current Awareness Service (CAS) is also being provided to the users by content page of the journal(s).
Infrastructure Development
Screen House
The institute has developed two screen houses for providing facilities to conduct pot experiments as per the requirement of different research projects.
Conference Hall
The institute has well furnished and air-conditioned conference room with a sitting capacity of 120 persons. It has an excellent conferencing facility consisting of audio system with detachable cable mounted microphones, audio-visual projection systems with DLP technology based multimedia projector. Stand by arrangements of slide projector and overhead projector have also been made.
Conference Hall
A well-furnished and air conditioned committee room equipped with audio system with detachable cable mounted microphones, audio-visual projection systems with multimedia projector, computer and stand by arrangemnets of slide projector and overhead projector has been developed to facilitate the organisation of meeting, group discussions and seminars. The committee room has total sitting capacity for 65 persons.
Training/ Referral Soil Testing Laboratory
 The laboratory has been established to develop new methods or modify existing methods of soil and plant analysis and to provide refresher training to personnels of state/central/private organisations involved in the analysis. It also provides facilities for analytical quality check among the laboratories through sample exchange. All the routine facilities for soil and plant analysis including distillation unit, spectrophotometer, flame photometer, precision balance are available in the laboratory.
Other Facilities
In addition to the above facilities the Institute also have facilities like Training hostel, Staff Recreation club, Indoor/Out door Games etc. |
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THE INSTITUTE